Work For It
by Raptor3ggs
Summary: I'm in my twenties and I'm not really going anywhere. This is the story of being desperate for a job and trying to stay normal in a world of red-haired sociopaths who I can't help but fall in love with. Kurama x OC.
1. Interview

_Take a deep breath. No, take several. Don't forget to cross your legs at the ankles. Make sure there are no stray hairs - speak professionally. Make eye contact. Take quiet breaths. You know how women should act to be respected, stereotype or not, do it._

I pretty much repeated the above in my head over and over again while I fiddled with the pinstripe-skirt I wore. I had spent all night worrying about this moment, and now that it was here, I was even more worried. I had figured it would be pretty much just a one-on-one interview. You know, like I would be the only one here. But I wasn't. There were at least ten or so other women here, most a little older and more developed than I was.

To my right sat a blonde-dyed young woman wearing a skirt shorter than I had ever seen before. Her stomach was slightly exposed, and so was her thong. I couldn't stop looking at the bright yellow strings hanging out from her skirt hem, and eventually she noticed me looking. She grinned, "You gotta do what you gotta do for a job, sweetheart. I've seen this guy. You might as well go home - I'll have it wrapped up in ten seconds."

"Tomo Kawashi?" He called from behind his door, another woman walking out of his office disappointingly. The woman winked at me and then stood up, unbuttoning her shirt a little to show more cleavage. She practically skipped into the office, the eager little whore.

The woman who had been on the other side of her moved into the now-abandoned seat and smiled warmly at me. This woman had dark brown hair and a warm smile. "I wouldn't worry too much about her. I don't know that he would be... interested."

My eyebrows crinkled together, trying to understand the meaning she was trying convey. "I don't understand, ma'am..."

She laughed lightly, lifted her hand to her mouth and whispered two words as the door slammed opened. Tomo Kawashi stormed out, her shirt unbuttoned all the way, and a deep blush on her face. She yelled some long string of curses as she stomped through the door angrily.

My face was probably as red as Tomo Kawashi's was when she rushed out. He leaned against the door to his office, an amused grin on his face. Shaking his head, his green eyes scanned the paper he held in his hand, looking for the next name to call.

"Sakana Ran?"

My cheeks burned as I stood up, but not because of Minamino Shuichi's good looks or smooth voice, but more because of the two words the woman had whispered to me before:

_"He's gay!"_

_Okay, so don't even think of flirting with him, _I thought to myself as I pulled at the sleeves of my blouse_. G_ay men probably aren't interested in being flirted with by women - even ones with a flat chest like mine.

"So, it says on your resume that you've never had a job before," Minamino said, writing something down on a paper I couldn't quite see. "Honestly, I'm looking for an experienced secretary. Is there any particular reason that you decided to apply?"

"I needed a job," the truth was out of my mouth beofre I could think of something with more tact. He looked at me, his eyes telling me to continue, "A, And I felt that this would be, at least, a great start to a stable career in the future." Yes, the career of being a secretary. Smooth, Ran, smooth.

"I see, I see," he nodded, not seeming displeased (or pleased,) with my answer. He shuffled some papers and then his cell phone rang. "Please excuse me for a second," Minamino stood, answering his phone, "hello?"

I followed him with my eyes as he moved to stand by the window. I had never seen him before now, but I had heard a lot about him. He was the step-son of Kazuya Hatanaka, and when he had passed away Minamino inherited the company instead of his real son. The reason being that his real son was too young to inherit the company, and that Minamino had proven that he would be an asset to the company.

Which was true. I mean, everyone knows about the Hatanaka corporation now-a-days. They started as some kind of retail business, but now their name is on a LOT of household products. In fact, my television, computer, and even the plastic cups I use instead of real ones (I am that lazy, yes) are all branded with the Hatanaka logo. They hadn't gotten so much reception until after Minamino took over - though, I find myself surprised that he hadn't changed the name of the company yet to Minamino. Respect for the dead, maybe?

A shrill ringing stopped my train of thought completely. The phone on his desk rang loudly, and out of instinct, I picked it up. The look on my face was obviously one of panic, because when Minamino looked back to see what was going on, he chuckled lightly. He did have a bit of a concerned look, a look that said "I'm expecting an important phone call, and that's probably it. God hates you, Sakana Ran."

"Hello?" a voice called from the phone. I had to respond. I didn't have a choice.

"Hello, Minamino's office," My voice was audibly shaky, but there was still a look of approval on Minamino's face ( at least, I liked to think so. At least a little bit.) "How may I help you this evening?"

A surprisingly young voice answered, "Yes, this is Kaitou Yuu. I was calling to talk to Minamino about -" And here he said a long string of business-related dribble that I really didn't understand at all. Something about merging. I'm not sure, " - I was hoping I could set up an appointment sometime within this week."

I looked at the phone and then to Minamino, who was still talking, and then back to the phone. I tried to get Minamino's attention, but he was looking the other way. The way my hand was clawing at the air for his attention made me feel like a cat - and also kind of ridiculous. If someone walked in and saw me, they'd probably burst out laughing.

"Y,yes, Kaitou-san, please hold for a moment," The name must have rang some bell in Minamino's flame red head, because he turned to look at me with a semi-urgent stare. He was still chattering away on the phone, but seemed to be trying to communicate with me via long stares and occasional blinking.

I broke eye contact with him and started carefully shuffling around on the desk. _Planner, planner, a calender, __**something...**_After a short time, thankfully, I found a little black book and held it up, showing it to Minamino. Is this your planner? I mouthed, and he nodded, so I hurried and opened it, flipping pages as fast as I could, barely stopping to gasp when I got a paper cut.

_Okay, okay, okay. This week looked supremely booked. Wow, this guy was busy. How did he have the time? Okay, okay, okay, think about that some other time. When can I shove Kaitou Yuu in without completely overloading... _Ah. Tuesday, 3:00PM. That space was open for about two hours... If I got him to push his lunch a bit... Hmm.

I grabbed a pen and took out some paper from his printer. I etched "TUESDAY, 3:00PM?" into it, as big as I could with it still being marginally readable, and held it up for Minamino to see. Still talking on his cell phone, he shook his head and held up his hand, with four fingers raised.

Four? I looked down at his planner, and 4:00PM was taken! I read it again, and the name had a red check mark by it. What did that mean? I flipped a page and looked at it. Several other times had red check marks by it.

It must mean that those people aren't that important and can be re-scheduled. Still, better make sure. I crossed out 3 and inserted 4:00PM and held it back up. He nodded, smiled, and then turned around. _Yes!_

"How does Tuesday at four sound for you, Kaitou-san?" I said, my voice more cheerful than it was before.

"Hmm... Tuesday isn't good for me."

_ARE YOU KIDDING ME. _

I flipped through the pages, biting my lip, "Might I ask what day would be good for you, Kaitou-san?" Minamino looked back, understanding the situation. He looked away again instead of helping me this time. _Oh, screw you. This is the wrong time for a test._

"Thursday is pretty clear for me," he said, an amused tone to his voice. Something told me I wouldn't like this Kaitou Yuu.

"Thursday, Thursday," I mumbled, turning the page twice. No clear spaces, but two with red check marks. Now to decide which one was worth keeping, and which one would be replaced. I recognized the name of one of the people listed - It was a company that I knew was in close competition with Hatanaka Corp., so I figured that if they had to talk it was important. So the other one would have to be the one to go...

"How does about noon sound?"

"Perfect."_ Click. Beep, beep, beep_. Well, he doesn't waste time.

I looked up at Minamino, who nodded and smiled at me. I had to admit, I could get used to that smile. Within two minutes, he hung up his cell phone and sat back down.

"Well, I can surely say you're resourceful." He shrugged, "I don't want to waste your time, so you can go now. I'll give you a call later and tell you the outcome."

I stood, he stood, and he placed his had on my back and led me to the door. He gave me an encouraging smile and then called the next girl in. I could feel the stares of the others as I walked - stumbled, really - out of the office.

It wasn't until I was walking down the side of the street that I realized I still had his pen. I clenched it in my hands, feeling my warm face and smiling.

Being a secretary might actually be fun - surely that brief encounter was pretty exciting!

_Now, if only Minamino wasn't gay..._

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><p><em><strong>AN: Mm... _ I... want to write the next chapter. Now. But I won't. Enjoy. Review. Yesss...<strong>_

_Title was thought up by Kajihenge Yoko - Stop by her page to read her awesome Fanfictions (Her current being **Alice Alive, **and awesome~) Also, thank her for the awesome title... You don't want to know what my first choice was.  
><em>


	2. The Bills

Waking up was never the easiest part of my day. The first thing that I thought of every morning was the fact that I was jobless, and then whatever bill was the latest.

I didn't have to worry about that as early as I usually did, because my alarm clock didn't go instead of waking up to the shrill "_ding, ring, ding, ring,_" of my alarm, I woke up because I fell off of a cliff in my dream. Honestly, it was more startling than my alarm clock, and I was much more lucid than usual when I bolted straight up in my bed.

Okay, it was an air mattress - not a real bed. But it counts. A little.

(What could I say? Money was tight.)

I was sweating. The apartment was scarily silent - and dark. Usually, the lamp on the floor next to me was on, but right now it wasn't. I shuffled around for my cell phone, but couldn't find it.

_Where did I leave it?_

I stood up, pushing the thin sheet off of my body, and reached my hands in front of me. _Careful, small steps..._I felt for the wall and when I found it,I headed for the light switch. When my fingers touched the switch, I couldn't help but sigh in relief - I had a mild fear of the dark.

I flipped it on. Nothing. _Click, click, click._ I flipped it several times, but still nothing. Strange. I was sure I changed that light bulb recently. I started to sweat a little more, but not because of the heat - this sweat was the cold sweat of fear. I could feel my hair clinging to the back of my neck.I tried flipping it a few more times, but still nothing. I headed to the next switch - nothing.

_Okay, okay, okay, okay. Okay._

_Okay._

What day was it? Was it the 10th? Where was my cell phone? Where did I put the damned thing?

I banged my head against the wall, _Fuck this._ I was crying, with tears of frustration running down my face.

My electricity was gone. Great.

"Great," I banged my fist against the wall, "Fucking _great!"_ Everything sucked lately. Everything. Bills? Fucking bills.

Fucking growing up. I wasn't ready to be out on my own. What was I thinking? Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

I took a breath.

_Breathe._ It's okay. It happens. People stumble before they stand. It's okay. I started groping the air, trying to find the table. My cell must be in my jacket - I doubt that I took it out to charge it.

I was right. The light, though dim, was more than welcome. It was about eight in the morning, a little later than I was used to waking up. It should be light outside, so my panicking was ultimately useless.

I opened the door to my room, and saw the living room was also a bit dark. The curtains were drawn, so I pulled them open sharply. The sun shined right in my face. It was hot but welcoming. Light was good. But it was a little too hot in my apartment, and I needed to hurry and get my electricity back on so that I could get some of that sweet, sweet air conditioner.

I pulled up all the blinds and curtains that I could and splayed out my bills onto the table. I counted how much money I had left - about 11,850 yen - and tried to decide what was more important - my cable television/internet/home phone, or my cell phone and food.

Definitely my cell phone and food.

I set aside about 7,110 yen for that, and then the other 3,160 yen would count as a down payment for my utilities, which were bundled. I didn't know that until I tried turning my faucet on and nothing came out. After calling my landlord, he confirmed that with 3,160 yen they'd at least turn it back on for awhile. I'd still owe them another 3,950 yen next month on top of the 7,110 yen that would be due by then.

I bit down on my pen, trying to add in my head. The math all landed to the same conclusion - I needed a job. But working was hard - anywhere that would hire me would want some kind of physical work. I was too delicate for that! Lifting boxes, handing out flyers for hours, standing in front of restaurants and flaunting my body to try and lure people to the establishment...!

_Not my kind of jobs. No way. No how._ The very thought of it made me want to...ugh!

_Snap._

Ink rushed into my mouth, causing me to gag and spit all over the table. Black splotches of ink/saliva stained everything I had been looking at, making most of my bills unreadable.I didn't know if I should try and wash my mouth out first, or hurry and try to clean the papers.

_No, they'll smudge even worse. Leave them,_I told myself, rushing into the kitchen and slamming my faucet on - only to be reminded that I had no running water. I cursed out loud, swallowing some ink in the process. I opened my mini-fridge and decided that I would have to wash my mouth out with Ramune since there was no water. Trying not to close my mouth, I fiddled with the Codd-neck bottle. I was having some problems pushing the damned marble in, but when I finally got it open in rinsed my mouth as good as I could. It was hard not to try and drink the Ramune instead of just rinsing with it - It was my favorite flavor, orange.

When I was unable to taste ink anymore, I decided that I would risk a look in the mirror. The bathroom was still mostly dark, the only window in there being a slit, so I looked with my cell phone. The LED light was very unflattering to my face. My tongue was stained black and orange, and so were my teeth. I brushed three times, until my teeth were at least mostly white again, but my tongue was doomed for awhile.

Now that that was over, it was time to start the day.I wasn't very excited.

I picked up the first seemingly decent looking pair of clothes my cell phone light could find (my laundry room didn't have _any _windows, so that was nice), and headed back into the living room to see the damage the ink had done to my bills.

Thankfully, the numbers were still legible, but my name was not. I had wanted to go and pay in person, but it looked like I would have to do it over the phone. Which meant I'd have to pay a little extra than I would if I went in person. If I went in person, though, they would accuse me of trying to use someone else's bill to make mine seem cheaper.

I know, because similar things have happened to me already. Surprise.

So that was a little less money for food. That's fine, really. If I stick to fast food, it won't be that bad. There was a convenience store close by - honestly, what city in Japan DIDN'T have a convenience store _close by _ - and a meal could cost as little as 240 yen, if I tried not to get anything extra.

That would last for awhile. A week, maybe two. After that... I was afraid to even think of what I would have to do.

I wiped off my table, making sure the ink didn't stain the wood. Thankfully, it didn't. I picked up the pen that had busted in my mouth, and frowned. It was the pen I had accidentally taken from Minamino Shuichi's office. Great, there goes ever returning that.

I had at least wanted to keep it as a keepsake, in case I ever got the job, but now I couldn't. Especially since I had gotten a call from Minamino himself yesterday. It was a short call, memorable and a little cutting:

_"Miss Sakana? I'm afraid we chose someone else for the secretary position. Thank you for coming to the interview, and for helping me with my busy schedule. Goodbye,"_

The thought pissed me off. A lot. Who did he think he was? He could have just left off the part about helping him. That part made it feel worse that I went through all that and _still _didn't get the job! I placed the pen back on the table, not even bothering to throw it away. The "From the Office Of Minamino Shuuichi" that was etched into the pen stared up at me in fake-gold. Grunting, I turned away from it and started looking for my shoes.

I wondered who DID get it as I headed out job-searching for the day. There were a lot of choices to choose from. It was really no surprise that I, with no experience whatsoever, could not make the cut. I'd just have to find yet _another _place to apply.

Another place to reject me.

I was almost to the convenience store when my cell phone died. I had the charger in my purse, and asked the woman running the register if I could charge it while I sat and ate. She said it was fine, but wanted 200 yen for it. I gave her the money and paid for my cold hot dog and orange Ramune (Which I was determined to drink properly after this morning's fiasco,) and sat down. I hadn't even opened my drink when someone took my phone off of the counter, right next to the _register_, and took off out of the store.

"HEY!" I yelled, jumping out of my chair. "GIVE THAT BACK!"

I couldn't think of what to do but to take off after him. No one started running to help, everyone just stared as I, failingly, ran after some homeless guy who decided he wanted a pink and sparkly cell phone.

He was pretty big, so I was surprised at how fast he was. I almost lost him completely in the crowd of people, until God decided to cut me a break - he ran face first into a Ramen stand.

"Haha! Gotcha!" The man working the stand laughed, picking my cell phone from the bum's twitching hands and giving it back to me. "Never thought I could maneuver this thing so well. It's honestly surprising, isn't it?" He grinned at me, and I noticed right then that he seemed a little young to be peddling ramen. He couldn't have been older than me, and wore his black hair slicked back with gel, but also held the bangs out of his face with a headband.

He was waiting for a reply, so I bowed and thanked him. My cell phone, upon inspection, had a thin crack right down the middle. Oh well, at least it was back in my possession and charged. In fact, the charger was still attached to it, so I supposed that was pretty lucky.

"You look a little worn out," he said, "Come on, I'll take you back to the main Kiosk and you can have some fresh ramen. On the house," he added, noting my worried expression. He turned his cart around and started walking. When I didn't follow, he laughed and said, "I'm not going to bite you or anything. Who would pass up free ramen?"

While hot ramen on a hot day didn't sound like the best idea, it did sound better than a cold hot dog. I walked beside him as he pushed his cart, talking energetically about how many thieves he'd stopped with it. "At least five this week, and you wouldn't even - Oh, hey!" he yelled, looking forward. I followed his eyes, and saw his main Ramen stand - it was a kiosk attached to another restaurant (Yukimura's Diner, or something) all done up in traditional style. I hadn't seen an authentic ramen stand since I had moved to the city... honestly, it excited me a little.

Working the stand was a young, pregnant woman with long brown hair and brown eyes. "Oh, there you are Yusuke," she said, "Atsuko was here earlier, she was worried about you," she noticed me then, "Oh, who is this?"

Yusuke shrugged, grinning, "I don't know, but I promised her some free ramen. Take a seat," he told me, attaching his cart back to the kiosk. I noticed with a giggle that it was empty - why was he pushing an empty cart around town?

He kissed the woman on the cheek and started mixing noodles. I watched with growing hunger as he layered pork on pork on pork ontop of the noodles. It had been SO LONG since I had so much meat at once. And here I thought I was lucky to grab the last hotdog. He placed the bowl in front of me, and then told me to dig in.

Oh, I did. Ever since I left Kyoto, I had a serious lack of good ramen. The first bite was almost like I was back home again... it was the best feeling ever.

_Ever._

Then I remembered my manners. "Oh, yes, uhm, yes, I, am, uhm," My manners were still learning how to talk, however, so I took a deep breathe and said, "My name is Sakana Ran, thank you for the food."

Yusuke laughed out loud, tossing some more noodles into a bowl, "Don't worry about it. The best ramen is free ramen," he placed the other bowl next to me, grinning, "Right, Kurama?

I turned to my side to see a very, very familiar person sit on the stool next to me. I almost wanted to complain to myself about how close he was sitting, but then I realized that there were only four stools, and he probably didn't have a choice.

"You know me, Yusuke," Minamino said, smiling as he broke his chopsticks, "As long as it's free, I'll keep coming." I had a feeling he was joking. Probably because I was certain this guy had more money than he knew what to do with.

Damn, I wish I could say the same. Instead, I silently ate my ramen and tried not to eavesdrop. This _was_ the guy who had completely rejected me for a job not even twenty-four hours ago. And, though he didn't know it, whenever I looked at my bills I saw his face and pretended it was his fault that I didn't have any money. (It wasn't though. It was the naive me who decided that it would be _easy_ to live in the city, even without a job for awhile. Yeah, the first few months were great until my parents stopped giving me money. After that... well. You were there this morning.)

"How is everything coming along, Keiko?" he asked the woman, who patted her stomach in an exhausted but happy fashion.

"Went to the clinic yesterday.., You were right, Kurama, twins."

It was at this moment that Yusuke slid Minamino 1000 yen and mumbled under his breath about a cheating nose or something.

I was getting a little freaked out. I knew that Minamino, at least, noticed, because I tucked my shoulders in a little and acted preoccupied with my phone.

"Sakana-san?" He said, much closer to my ear than I thought he would be. My body twitched upward, my hands unclenching my phone and sending it flying up in the air, up, up, up and then down, right into my nearly finished ramen, spraying chunks of pork and noodles all over my shirt. With a quick spark, some smoke, and a strange hissing noise, I knew it was done for.

And I had just paid for this month's usage for it in advance before I left the house.

There was a howl of laughter from Yusuke, followed by his wife hitting him on the shoulder and telling him to behave. Minamino apologized quickly, trying to fish the phone out of the bowl with his chopsticks, and all of this was topped off with a sharp, dry sob coming from my throat as I held back tears.

All three of them stopped and stared at me, and I was sure people from the road were staring too, but I didn't care anymore.I just stood up and walked off, ignoring Minamino trying to hand me my phone, or even Yusuke trying to ask me what was wrong.

I wanted to go home.

Not to my hot, dark apartment,but _home._ I hated my old house, cramped with three sisters and two brothers and both of my parents out in the middle of no where, but it was better than alone in the city and embarrassing myself in front of strangers.

All I knew was that I could really use one of my Mom's hugs right now.

I hadn't turned my utilities back on yet, so a rush of hot air blew into my face when I opened my door. Oh well. I'd deal with that some other time. I didn't know what time it was, but I knew I had only been up for maybe four hours. It was maybe noon, but I was more than ready to just collapse on the floor and not wake up.

_Eh, why not?_ I walked a few steps into my apartment, took off my shirt and straightened the camisole underneath. I got on my hands and knees and shuffled around to find a nice place on the wood floor that was at least a little cool. My legs halfway under the table, I fell asleep.

My dream had no visuals, only sounds. Opening and closing of doors, footsteps, clattering from above me. The sound of chairs scraping the floor, the creaking of someone sitting, and an amused chuckle as papers ruffled. When the sounds stopped, the visuals started.

Running, running, running. A large grass field and clear blue sky. I stopped, out of breath, and used my hand to block the sun from my eyes as I looked behind me. I could see an old, dirt road and the old, wooden buildings that lined it. It was my hometown. No real surprise that I would dream about it. I was more than home sick.

I could see my mom leaning against the fence, waiting for me. She reached her hand in the air and waved at me, and I ran towards her. At least I'd get that hug I wanted from her.

_Click._

A soft noise, but I still woke up from it. Where did it come from? I looked all around, but couldn't find anything in my apartment while I was sitting on the floor. Standing, the first thing I noticed was that my back was sore. Okay, so maybe sleeping on the floor was a bad idea.

Something felt different. The sun was setting, but I could still feel it when I moved closer to the window. But it was...

_Cold._ My apartment was cold! B... but I hadn't turned the utilities back on yet. I held my hand up to the vent, and sure enough, cold air blasted at my hand. It had obviously been on for awhile. But how?

I flipped a light switch, and the light came on. Euphoria washed through me, but so did confusion. Did I pay it without thinking? I checked my wallet - the money I had set aside for utilities was still there.

So, what, what.. _what?_

I opened my door and looked at the front of were no notices or anything telling me that they miscounted my money and I got a month free, or anything like that.I shut my door and started heading to my house phone to call my landlord, and then noticed that the papers on my table were stacked into neat piles.

I flipped through the ink stained papers and then set them back down. Unbelieving, I quickly called my landlord and asked him if I had turned the utilities on. He said that he had received a notice that I had a few hours ago. After I hung up on him, I checked the others. The rest of my expenses were paid for. What the hell was going on?

Then I saw it, on the kitchen counter. a small, black, cell phone, and a note card placed under it:

_Sanaka Ran, _

_Please accept this as a token of my apologies for ruining your previous phone. I will take care of the bill for it, but I'm afraid you'll have to work for it. Please call me in the morning. Office hours are eight-to-six._

_I look forward to working with you._

_Minamino Shuichi._

_PS: Sleeping on the floor will give you bad posture._

I read it over twice. Three times. I remembered my dream - the sound of footsteps, papers being shuffled, _HE WAS IN MY APARTMENT. WHILE I WAS ASLEEP. He even had the audacity to comment on my sleeping habits!_

Was I supposed to be angry? Because I kinda was! But at the same time, a sense of overwhelming relief washed over me. Work for it? What did that mean? Work for it?

I would.

The tears I had been holding in all day dripped lightly down my face. I wiped at them, not noticing until then that I was laughing. What was this? A shojo manga?

I had little time to think of it, because the phone started vibrating. I grabbed it, awkwardly flipping it open. _One New Message, _it read.

_This is my cell phone number. Feel free to message me if you need anything._

I slammed it shut. I would never message him. Ever. Suddenly, I felt bad. Like he was just pitying me. Perhaps he was, but I did owe him a major debt that I would have to repay. _Okay, repay it, and then never talk to him again. Move back to Kyoto._

I was mortified, now that the euphoria was gone. I mean, he was in my house. It was dirty! I was sleeping... _In my camisole._ It was slightly see-through, and lacy, and, and... embarrassing.

_He's gay, _I reminded myself, but it still didn't change the fact that he was in my house while I was sleeping. Should I call the police? Isn't that illegal? I mean, really?

I was freaking out. I needed food... and I did have some extra money. I slipped the shirt I had been wearing back on, and then reluctantly slid the black cell phone into my pocket. I walked out of my apartment, and then did something I had never done since I had moved in:

I locked the door.

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><p><strong>AN:<strong> This chapter. Haaa, this chapter. I love it. I love the shameless orange Ramune plug. It's great. Ramune is great. It became a lot longer than I originally planned, but that's a good thing, isn't it?

Thanks to _Fickle Luck _for reading most of the beginning while I wrote it and helping me _, _and _Kajihenge Yoko _for reading the end of it as I wrote it and helping me edit~! You guys are the best. Everyone should read your stuff because of this. **Everyone.**

Read, Review. I respond to every review :O


	3. Beware of Lies

I sat cross legged on my wooden floor, water dripping from my still-wet hair onto my shoulder, and then rolling down to my leg. I was hardly dressed - boy-shorts and a tank, and the breeze from the air conditioner chilled me to the bone.

_It felt great._

I couldn't think about that right now though, I reminded myself, even as I shivered. It was cold in here, but I didn't want to turn the air conditioner down or off, just in case it never came back on again. The one day I had spent without it was enough for me to appreciate the fact that I had it at all -

Which reminded me of the task at hand. Last night, Minamino Shuichi _broke into my house, looked through my things (even though I was sleeping _right there!)_ and even had the gall to __**pay my bills and give me back sweet, sweet air conditioning.**_

I didn't know if I should put a warrant out for his arrest or grovel at his feet.

But, considering he _also_ bought me a new cell phone to make up for the one he had viciously destroyed (Okay, okay, so I kinda tossed it on my own, but he startled me!) by buying me a completely new one, I figured that it would be more polite to grovel rather than have him worrying about jail time.

Then again, he was probably rich enough to get himself out of that. Seriously. As the newest CEO of Hatanaka Corporation, which he inherited from his step-dad, a simple look around _my_ apartment would let you know that he probably had cash to spare. My television, my shoes, heck, even the cell phone he bought me, all had the Hatanaka logo embedded on them. I wouldn't be surprised if he was one of the richest people in Japan.

Why would he, of all people, help _me?_

I couldn't even pass his stupid interview. I wasn't special, I didn't have any talents, and, honestly , I wasn't a looker. I had my mothers thick hair, though the light brown color came from my father, and her long, straight, awkward legs.

I must have gotten my flat-chestedness from my father. _Haha._

_He felt sorry for you, Ran._ I had to agree with this thought of mine. Why else would someone like him do all of this for me? Not just him, but _anyone?_

I laid my back against the cold floor, my wet hair becoming a spongy pillow. My stationary ceiling fan stared back at me, the glass reflecting the light from my window. In it, I could see the moving smears of cars from the street, even though I was several floors up.

_Even if he hadn't helped me, even if he had just ignored me, the world would still be moving for him. His life would be no different. No one's would. _I closed my eyes, not wanting to go down that line of thought. I had already been down that road when I was a teenager. I was an adult now. And adults pay back debts.

I sat up a little too fast, feeling a wave of dizziness, and stared back down at what I had been looking at before getting lost in thought.

I had a choice to make. Before he left my apartment, Minamino Shuichi left a note card with a number and a request to call him. I could only guess that this was his personal office number, because it wasn't the number I had scheduled my interview with. It wasn't his cell phone or anything, so there _was_ a chance that I wouldn't immediately get to talk to him after calling.

The choice I had to make wasn't whether or not I should call him. I knew the answer to that - there was no way in hell I _wasn't_ calling him. My pride wouldn't let me just accept his charity and give nothing back.

No, the choice I had to make was:

_Which phone do I call him on?_

I mean, if I use my house phone, maybe that'll show that I'm grateful for him giving me back electricity. But, it might make it seem like I wasn't grateful for the cell phone.

If I used the cell phone, my thoughts were that it might show that I was grateful that he replaced my old one, even though it wasn't _really_ his fault that it had broken. If I did that, though, I was worried it might seem like I didn't care that he had paid for my utilities at all.

I worry about stupid things sometimes.

I grabbed the cell phone and dialed the number. It rang twice, and then I hung up.

I didn't mean to - my thumb just pressed down in pure panic. What would I say when he answered? _Hi, this is that chick whose house you broke into?_

I took a few seconds to calm down and decide what I should say, and then called back. This time, he answered before I could hang up.

"Hello, Minamino Shuichi."

I took a deep breath into the phone and then hung up.

_Oh, god._

I had to call back immediately and apologize.

This time, when he answered, I told myself not to breathe. I held my breath in and tried to remember what it was I had decided that I would say. Ten seconds later, after he had said "_Hello?" _at least twice, I couldn't hold my breath anymore and let it all out at once.

And _then_ I hung up.

When I called back about a minute later, he didn't answer. And I couldn't blame him for it. I let it ring all the way through, and just kinda sat there when the automated message started playing.

I figured it would give me a choice to leave a message or not, so I wasn't really worried about that. I was just going to hang up when I was sure he wouldn't pick up the phone. Instead, after the automated message there was a loud _beep!_ And I just kind of squealed and hung up again.

So, now he had a message of me squealing.

I never thought that calling someone could be this hard. I figured I should try the other phone, since he was probably avoiding for this number now. I'd wait a few minutes, though, and grab myself something to snack on.

The second I opened my mini fridge, the little black cellphone started to ring. I stared at it, about ten feet away from me, for about two rings, and then slammed the door shut and dived for it.

"Hello?" I screeched into the receiver. I needed to get whoever this was off of the phone, just in case I decided to call Minamino back on it.

"...Hello? Sakana Ran?"

I was silent for a second, and then slammed my head down on the wooden floor. Aside from acting like a serial killer and leaving him a message of me squealing, I had also just screeched right into Minamino's ear.

"Yes," I replied weakly, "this is Sanaka Ran." My head hurt now. I could feel a headache coming on.

I could tell he was holding the phone away from his face at this point, because I could hear a quiet chuckle. "I wondered if that was you calling. Having trouble with the new phone?"

"Ah, uh, yeah. Technical difficulties," I forced a laugh, fluffing my hair a bit with my hands. There was no way he could really believe that, I mean, if I could manage to breathe so clearly in it, I should have been able to talk, too. But, I'd just leave it for now.

"Thank you for calling me back, Sakana-san," He was fiddling with something on the other line, it kind of sounded like paper, "I was honestly a little worried that you wouldn't."

I wasn't sure what to say. I _wanted_ to say something like _no, thank _you, _for everything,_ but I couldn't. "Of course I would call you back," I muttered into the phone, "I'm not the kind of person that... wouldn't."

"Glad to hear it," he took a drink of something. Ah, it was probably his lunch time. I _did_ call a little late. Suddenly, I felt very, very rude. I hated feeling rude. "I was wondering if you could come in sometime later... When would be a good time for you?"

"Anytime," I answered immediately. "Well, like ten minutes." Then, I remembered that I still needed to get dressed, "Thirty minutes," And finally, I remembered that I was a woman, "Okay, maybe an hour."

He didn't bother to pull the phone away from his mouth to laugh this time, "Alright. I'll tell the office to expect you anywhere from ten minutes from now to an hour. See you soon, Sakana-san." _click._

I held the phone to my ear for a few more seconds, and then shut it, trying to decide on what I would wear - or, more importantly, what I would do with my hair. It was long enough that it would look fine down, but I should really get it out of my face. I wouldn't want to be blowing my bangs out of my eyes every five seconds and look like a retard.

I decided to go with the same blouse I had worn to the interview, but a different, longer skirt. As for my hair, I tried several different things - up, down, pigtails, braids - and ended up just pushing it back with a headband.

Now, makeup. Would I wear any? I didn't wear any to the interview, and I felt that it had gone fairly well. Then again, I didn't get the job, so it must not have gone as well as I thought.I put on some eyeliner and just a _tiny_ bit of lip gloss.

Thirty minutes had already passed by the time I had started to head out the door - and it was at least a fifteen minute walk, but I wanted to stop for some food or something to drink.

I went to the same convenience store I had gone to yesterday, only this time my cellphone never left my stone grip. I bought some strawberry Ramune (They were out of orange, the heartless bastards,) and a box of yan-yan.

Ever since I was a kid, I _loved_ yan-yan. It was like the do-it-yourself version of Pocky. It came with about a dozen crunchy bread-snack sticks, and the rest of the container was a place where you could dip the sticks in chocolate. Each stick had the name of an animal on it, along with wise quotes. Kind of like a fortune cookie, but with chocolate.

I didn't know why I got the freaking yan-yan, though, because they were almost impossible to eat while holding a drink and walking down a busy street. My only solace to the difficulty of eating yan-yan was this: reading the animal names and quotes on the sticks whenever I could. I am still a bit of a child at heart.

When I finally got to the Hatanaka Corpration building, I had one yan-yan left. I stood by the trash can outside and finished my Ramune and then dipped the stick. I instantly regretted it because I couldn't read the quote. But I could still read the animal:

Fox.

I licked the chocolate off and read the quote: _BEWARE OF LIES._

Suddenly, I didn't feel so good. I ate the stick and threw away the container, wiping my face to make sure I didn't have any crumbs or chocolate smeared anywhere. I did the same with my clothes, turned the black cell phone on silent, and then walked inside.

Hatakana Corp might have had humble beginnings, but it was hardly noticeable if you were in the building. It was maybe twenty floors high, but the entrance had a very tall ceiling. Looking up made me feel... pretty small.

I recognized the lady at the front desk right away - she was the one who was talking to me right before my interview. I guessed that meant that _she_ got the job. Which was probably a good thing, because she seemed to be one of the nicer ladies there.

But when I told her my name and why I was there, she gave me this strange look. Like I was something to be examined.

"I'll... tell him you're on your way." She said, picking up her phone listlessly and broke eye contact with me.

I waited for a second, but then guessed she wasn't going to tell me what floor he was on or anything, so I just went to the elevator and tried to remember what floor my interview was on.

Duh. The top one.

I had expected some kind of catchy yet old-fashioned elevator tune to pipe up when I stepped inside, but instead it was just silent - dead silence that made me uncomfortable. When I heard the sharp _ding!_ that told me I had arrived at my floor, I didn't get out of the elevator. I let the door open and then close again. I was just too nervous. So I stood there for about two minutes, and then started worrying that someone else would use the elevator.

It was the same room I had waiting in for the interview - and the same oak door with a small window separated me and Minamino's office. Gathering my courage, I marched forward and knocked on the heavy looking door.

No answer. Not even any sound coming from the other side.

I knocked again, thinking he might be sleeping. I stood there for a good while, but there was sill no sign of life from beyond the door.

Worst-case-scenarios started playing in my head. What if he choked to death on his lunch after we got off of the phone? I was making him laugh, so it's not an impossibility that he got carried away and suffocated. Maybe he fell and hit his head, and is now passed out and bleeding on the ground.

Then more sinister thoughts came to mind. What if he had been _murdered?_ What if I walked in there, and he was slumped back in his chair with a knife sticking from his chest? Or a hole in his head? I mean, he was rich. Who _wouldn't_ want to rob him?

If I opened this door and there was a dead body, I would be the first suspect. It might be better to just turn around and go home, pretend that I never came here at all, and toss this cell phone into the river as damning evidence to the contrary.

With trembling hands, and closed eyes, I opened the door.

"H-hello?" I muttered, and then opened my eyes. There was no one. _Phew._ So, then, where was he? He knew I was on the way. Something must have happened...

I could just wait here, I supposed, lifting some papers on his desk to see if he left me a note or anything. _Something more important than you probably got his attention. Like his job._

Maybe coming here _was_ a bad idea. I could go home and call him back and then tell him I'd find some _other _way to repay him.

_Thwink!_

Something red caught my eye, and I turned my head to the side, facing the window. Standing there, and I'm not _even_ sure how the hell he was holding on, was Minamino Shuichi. The wind was blowing pretty hard, but even though his red hair kept covering his face, our eyes were still locked on each other.

Slowly, he smiled. Letting one hand off of the ledge, he pointed to the window, asking me to open it. His eyes were alight with afternoon sunlight and utter amusement.

Dazed, I walked over the the window and slid it open, trying not to panic at the fact that we were twenty-two floors up and he was still only holding on with one hand.

He was Spiderman.

This theory was strengthened when, after I had moved out of his way, he nimbly jumped back through and landed in his office without even looking strained or anything. He brushed his hands together, smiled again, and then sat in his chair. He gestured for me to take the seat across from his desk, and I did.

"Now, where were we?" He asked pleasantly, obviously ignoring the blatant look of fear and panic on my face.

I opened my mouth and then shut it again. I did this two or three times before saying, "Were you just about to commit suicide?"

He laughed, leaning a hand against his head. "Perhaps. It _has_ been a long day."

"That's not funny."

Another laugh, but this time he didn't look at me, "My apologizes. You caught me sneaking out - or rather, back in." He turned to look at me, a wide, gentle smile on his face. "Please, Sakana-san, don't tell anyone about this."

He must have noticed my eyes narrowing, because his amusement disappeared for a second. "I don't think anyone would believe me if I told them you had came in from the outside on the top floor."

"Probably not," his eyes were serious, but his voice was light. Purposely light. _Forced._

He had just messed up somehow. I didn't really understand, but I wasn't supposed to have caught him. It was an honest mistake on my part, but I had this feeling that I had walked in on something pretty serious.

Sakana Ran doesn't deal with serious things very well. I had to find a way to change the subject before... well, from the look of his eyes, before he got even more _angry._ Because, as it was, I was scared.

I closed my eyes and looked away, clenching my teeth for moment before saying, "well, before I even start trying to figure out why you called me here, I wanted to say thank you," I met his eyes, which widened almost unnoticeably, "for everything."

"It's my pleasure, Sakana-san -"

"Ran," I interrupted, my fingertips feeling warm, "Please, just call me Ran."

His mouth twitched from a smile to a grin and then back again, "Ran, then. I was worried you might think me rude for, ah, intruding. But, it was the only way I could think of to thank you for what you did for me the other day." At my blank stare, he explained, "I made a very important deal because of you. If you hadn't been there to answer the phone for me, if you hadn't gotten Kaitou down to a set schedule, I might have actually been out a few million yen. Instead, I gained a new branch and business partner. Actually worked out pretty well, if I do say so myself."

"Oh," my voice sounded small, "Well, that's a good thing, then."

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

"No," I said, "Not wrong, just... If you wanted to thank me, why did you just _hire_ me?"

He blinked a few times, and then to my surprise, laughed. "I'm sure you saw Mrs. Tanaka when you walked in - she was the one we hired. I'm curious, what job did you think you applied for?"

From my ears to my neck, I was certain I was as red and a tomato, "W...wasn't it... your secretary?" I muttered, looking down.

"No, I'm afraid not. It was just a plain old receptionist position - and a temporary one at that. No," there was a gleam in his eyes I just plain didn't like. "Suffice it to say that I didn't let the company hire you because I wanted you all to myself."

If I wasn't red before, I was now. "A...a...a..."

He held up a hand, "Ah, sorry, _not_ what I meant. I should say, rather, that I see a lot of potential in you, Ran. And, honestly, I've never had a secretary before. Until now, I had enough time to worry about all that on my own. It wasn't until I was caught in that dilemma that I realized I might not be able to keep up with myself at this rate. The potential I see in you would have been wasted if you had just been a receptionist."

_I wonder what he must think of Mrs. Tanaka, _I thought, suddenly feeling bad about the woman who _had_ become a receptionist. "You say I have potential," I said, "but I just don't see it. I'm not fishing for compliments or anything, but that last time was kind of a freak coincidence. Most of the time, I'm not that lucky," _in anything._

He frowned, "I'm sorry to hear that," _yeah, me too,_ "But, I do wish you'd give it a try. At least for a little while. "

Ehh. Something felt kinda odd here. I mean, yes, I would take any job he gave me with open arms, even if I was a janitor (or receptionist) but he was selling it too hard. "I _will, _it's just -"

"Great!" He stood, "Now, I've got to go downtown and take care of some things, so I'll have to cut this short, sadly," he winked at me, "and by take care of things, I do mean, of course, getting some free ramen. It's great to have friends in the business."

"Ah, okay," was all I could say. I was feeling way too rushed, and it was making me uncomfortable. I stood up myself, and headed towards the door which he held open for me. When I passed him, staring at him in my peripheral, I just didn't feel _right._ Something had suddenly changed, but I didn't know what.

"You should get yourself something good to eat, Ran," He followed me to the elevator, and as we went down he continued, "You're looking a little pale."

_I wish I had the money to eat something good, _my brain tried to tell him with telepathy. Sadly, I'm not psychic, so I just said, "Probably a good idea."

He gave me a reassuring pat on the back, "Make sure you're here about eight tomorrow. I don't need to tell you to dress nicely, but I will," as he walked away from me, smugly, he repeated, "dress nicely!"

What the hell had just happened? Everything went too fast - I had barely sat down before he had rushed me out of his office. He basically _shoved_ the job on me, and didn't give me any time to really think about it at all. Not to mention the whole Spiderman thing he had going on. He definitely tried, but I wouldn't forget about it that easily.

Walking down the road, I tried to think about what I could afford to eat. I put my hands in my pockets to fish out my wallet, but instead grabbed several 2000 yen bills. Before I tired to figure out where they had come from, I counted. 8000 yen. Just, out of no where.

Then I remembered: The way I felt when I past him at the door, the strange feeling that something had changed, even though I didn't notice it. Him telling me to get something good to eat, even though he _had to_ know that I didn't really have any money.

Minamino Shuichi had just reverse-pick-pocketed 8000 yen into my jeans. While I was pretty much looking right at him. I wanted to be angry, or at least a little suspicious, but my growling stomach made me feel otherwise. At least for the moment. _Oh, I'd get something good to eat, alright._

I couldn't help but remember the yan-yan I had eaten not even an hour ago - the stick I had gotten just before I walked into the building. The strange feeling Minamino gave me. The way his eyes looked when he told me that he wanted me all to himself.

_Beware of lies._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: <strong>You know that great feeling you get when you finish something that you just _didn't want to do at all?_ That's how I felt when I finished this chapter. I don't know why, but it took me _so long_ to finish writing. Don't get me wrong - I love this chapter. I love Ran. I love making her suffer and feel awkward.

Since I'm using Yen as currency, I'll sometimes put conversions down here for you to look at. In this case: 8000 yen is about 100$ USD. Look's like Shuichi has some hooker money :|

Once again, thanks to _Kajihenge Yoko _and _Fickle Luck_ for reading over my chapters and laughing at all the right spots (Or, at least telling me they did~ ) Be sure to check out _Kajihenge Yoko's _current fic, **Alice Alive.**Because it's really, really awesome.

Also, I've posted a link to some doodles I've done of Ran and Kurama on my FFnet profile, if any of you are interested in seeing what Ran looks like. Read~ Review~ See you next Monday~


	4. Dawn of the First Day

**Six-fifteen in the morning:**

I sat on the two-seat couch in front of my television, leaning forward in interest. On the screen, a blonde haired American actress was swooning over another American male, whose brown hair and rugged good looks would have most girls fainting at the sight him. She fell into his arms, and they kissed passionately for a good three minutes before they spoke sweet nothings to each other. Their mouths moved too slow for the Japanese dub-over - sometimes their mouths were closed, but they were still talking. Still, the story was sweet. After some more kissing, the movie ended, suggesting a long and fruitful marriage to come.

I hadn't been able to sleep for very long the night before - out of boredom, I had gotten ready for work at about midnight, and then sat in front of the TV. Nothing had been on all night except for these cheesy American films, fraught with only the peril of a happy ending and sappy, love-stained words. I guess the reason why I had never seen movies like them before was because I had never really stayed up that late to watch them. When the series of romantic movies had started, I had little hope that I would enjoy them - being a hopeless romantic, my standard for gooey-fluffy stuff was pretty high.

I had gotten shamelessly engrossed in the series of movies that had played over the last six hours, and honestly almost started watching them again - Its not that the movies were _good_, but more that they had decided to play my every romantic fantasy all in one go: a midnight-rendezvous, a carriage ride - holding hands while walking on a beach at sunset, kissing gently under the mistletoe while unwrapping the perfect gifts for each other... a passionate kiss at an airport, him begging her not to go, to stay with him, forever and ever.

_I want you all to myself._

I hadn't meant to think of it, but when I did I dropped my bottle of peach-flavored Ramune from my hands and to the floor. Thankfully, I hadn't opened it yet, so it just rolled and hit the wall. I didn't bother to go get it, but instead arranged myself on the small couch until I was comfortable.

_I want you all to myself._

The context my head was trying to put the words in happened to be off completely - he hadn't meant it in any romantic way, but it had still gotten to me. No one had said anything like that to me before in my life. For that brief moment, I felt... useful. It seemed like I was already developing complicated feelings for my boss, Shuuichi Minamino. Attraction, for one. He looked good, but it wasn't like I hadn't seen a good-looking guy before. It was mostly the way he talked. Smooth, yet sharp at the same time. So coolly calculated. He knew exactly what he had to say to keep me interested. However, all the attraction in the world wouldn't stop me from feeling the strongest feelings I had for him: Fearful confusion.

There was something seriously wrong with that guy. I don't know if it's the fact that he snuck into my house to pay my bills, or the fact that he gave me a job out of thin air (According to him, I had earned it, but in reality I had just gotten stupidly lucky.) Perhaps it was the way he had slipped 8000 yen into my pocket without my noticing, even though I was looking right at him.

But, most likely, it was the fact that he could apparently scale twenty-story buildings and still act like it was completely natural to sneak in and out of his office through the window behind his desk..._on the twenty-second floor._

He was a conundrum. One which I wasn't going to bother trying to figure out - I wouldn't pry into his Spiderman-esque persona, because I knew that the slightest wrong move could cost me my job. And I had already decided that I would stay his secretary until I paid back all the money he had spent on me, whether he wanted me to or not.

I was so ready to get the day started. Today was the first day of my new job, and hopefully he'd explain to me what it was I would be doing because I really wasn't sure myself. I already figured that I would be answering the phone to his office, and probably handle his appointments and pick up his lunch and stuff like that, but maybe there was something else I was missing. Like, was I supposed to pick up his dry-cleaning? Take care of his pets? Did he even _have_ pets? Shine his shoes? What does a personal assistant even _do?_

_It's a job, Ran, _I told myself, _a way to get some money._ And I was more than ready to get some - and not through reverse pick-pocketing, though I did enjoy that a little. I had spent some of the money he had slipped me on stock piling instant noodles and Ramune, and then put the rest in my secret-special-hiding-place just in case. I planned to confront him today about the money, though. I had to let him know that it wasn't okay to give people money like this, especially me. I owed him enough already, so this just made it worse.

The little black cell phone (I couldn't call it _my_ cell phone yet - it didn't feel right,) chimed little musical notes in a fast, rapid pattern alerted me to the fact that I was supposed to already have left by now. As usual, I got stranded in my own thoughts and lost track of the time. In a hurry, forgetting my lunch in the process, I trotted down the stairs to my apartment, straight out to the busy, morning rush.

Like most cities in Japan, the streets were crowded. I had always thought about how it would feel to go with the crowd instead of against it - like me, most of the people were dressed sharp, on their way to work. Usually, I would head the opposite way in the mornings to get something to eat at the convenience store and then spend the rest of the day at home or job hunting. Today, I felt like an adult for the first time since I had moved here from Kyoto, because I was finally working. It was like for the first time, my life had actually _begun._

As I was waiting with a bunch of people at a crosswalk for the light to change, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up as a cold wind invaded my good mood. I looked around for something, not knowing what, but ended up looking at the sky. The Sun felt so warm now. I didn't know what that cold wind was, but it was gone now, replaced by the heat of the new day. I stepped across the street with the crowd, breaking out of the hive mind to step in front of the Hatanaka building. I was so excited just walking to work that I almost forgot to _go_ to work...

The industrial air conditioner hit me in the face so strongly I almost stopped walking. It was kind of surprising, because I didn't remember it ever being so strong. After I got to the elevator, the air became calmer. It felt strange somehow. Mrs. Tanaka told me good morning right before I got into the elevator. Clumsily, as it closed, I yelled "Good morning!" back at her, almost falling into the doors when I leaned forward. That wouldn't have ended well for me.

Here is where I started to get nervous. I was on time - but did Minamino even remember that I was coming? Or, he did say to come in _today_ right? I knew I was worrying about nothing - He wasn't the kind of person to make an appointment and then forget about it, I was sure.

The elevator doors opened, and I noticed an immediate difference from the way the waiting room to his office used to look. Instead of the two rows of chairs on either side of the small hallway, there was only one row - the other row had been replaced with a small, polished wooden desk. I double checked to make sure I was on the right floor, I was, and then examined the desk. I couldn't think of any reason for a desk to be there, considering Minamino had one of his own already. Why would he need two?

On the desk was a large, flat screen monitor sitting on top of a half-sized computer tower. A black desk phone sat on the other side of it. The black monitor and black phone matched the comfortable looking black rolling chair which was tucked neatly under the desk. There was a small stack of folders, and what I recognized as Minamino's black planner book from the interview laying on top. It was a pretty high quality looking work station, but as I mentioned before, I didn't know why he needed two desks. Maybe he was rearranging his office? It was then I noticed the name plate on the desk, which faced the elevator (I should have seen it the second the doors opened, but I'm a space cadet) a black plate with white letters which read in large print, _Sakana Ran._

Duh. It was _my_ desk. Okay, that made more sense than him having two. I was touched that he would get me such an awesome work space in such short amount of time. I had to thank him right now for it. I set my purse next to the desk and then turned around, and noticed his office door was closed. I couldn't help but remember the last time I had opened that door - I was worried he had gotten murdered or something, and when I finally worked up the courage to step inside he wasn't there at all.

I smiled, cheerfully. At least he would be there this time. I knocked twice on the door and happily called, "Minamino-san?" and then waited. I hoped he wasn't on the phone or something, because I would hate to seem rude on my first day. He was going to have to get a window put into this door or something so that I could make sure I wasn't knocking during something important or something.

After a few seconds, I realized that he was probably busy - the day had just started after all. He was probably making the first round of phone calls, and here I was being rude. "N-never mind!" I called, and then hurriedly sat down at my desk. The chair felt as comfortable as it looked, and I couldn't help but lean back and let the cold air conditioning rush over my face for a few seconds. When the blast of air lost its strength, I opened my eyes, puzzled. I was really getting freaked out by this buildings air conditioning and its random bursts. I looked up to where the air was coming from, prepared to see that the vent was aimed right at me - but there was no vent where I thought it was. After a quick scan of the ceiling with my eyes, I realized the vent for the air conditioning was above the elevator doors. So, how did I get that strong blast of air a few seconds ago? Strange. Maybe it came from Minamino's office. There _was _a small gap above the door that might let air out, and it would be aimed right at me if that were the case. Another burst of air hit me from the same direction, so I decided that I was right.

Ten minutes passed with me just sitting there, waiting for Minamino to step out of his office with some generic, boss-like order for me to follow, but he didn't. I started to get worried. What if he actually _had_ been murdered this time? And I had just been sitting here, absorbing the air conditioning while he could be behind that door, writing the name of his killer in his own blood, using the last bit of his energy for justice.

I stood up, and then sat back down almost immediately. Straining my ears, I tried to hear any kind of noise behind his door. All I could hear was the fan on my computer (which I was too scared to touch,) and nothing else. Slowly, I tip-toed to his door and pressed my ear against it for a few minutes. Nothing. I knocked, "Minamino-san?" and waited. Still nothing. Preparing my alibi for the police, I slowly opened the door. Just like yesterday, he was not in his office. I looked under his desk, and anywhere else I could think of that someone could stash his lifeless body, and still couldn't find him.

Then I went to the window. I opened it, looked up to see if he was climbing above me, and then looked down, seeing nothing but the morning traffic. I gulped. If he fell from this height, I wouldn't be able to see his body from here. There were so many cars rushing about that I don't think there would even be time for him to become a splatter. I decided not to let my mind to go down this line of thought, and closed the window. Just to be safe, I made sure it wasn't locked.

_So what do I do now?_ I asked myself, _Stand here and wait for him to show up? _It was only a little past eight. He could be having some issues with traffic or something. I went back to my desk and shuffled through my purse for the little black cell phone. Now, I _could_ call him and ask if everything was alright. But, if I did, I should wait for a little while before freaking out on him for being a few minutes late. Being alone in this office made me feel... alone. More alone than I had been since I came to this city. I could only imagine it was because it was so quiet in this office - I couldn't even hear the cars below from up here.

I looked through the papers on my desk - just some random files and his planner. Nothing telling me that he wouldn't be here today or anything. I should have brought my MP3 player or something to keep me busy while I waited. I tapped my nails impatiently against my desk, trying to plan what I would do tonight. So far, I decided that I would eat some instant noodles and then go to sleep.

I needed friends or something. Back home, I had a small handful of close friends, but we hadn't talked since high school. Even though we had all decided that we would stay in touch, everyone had immediately gone their separate ways - marriage, college, the military, and then me, to the city. I kind of regretted coming here. My family was a very traditional one, with some old money. I had wanted for nothing growing up, and now suddenly I was worried about where my next meal would come from. I had been taught - conditioned - strict etiquette, social and family wise. I've always been more than able to carry three textbooks on my head and not miss a single step, I knew all the right names, all the right mannerisms, and anything else my mother thought a house wife would need. None of that could help me here. I wasn't happy there, but now I was homesick. I should have just gotten married like Mother wanted me to. I had always been too stubborn to accept the path she had chosen for me, but it would be so much more easier than this.

_Just gotta pay back Minamino, then I can go home._ Easier said than done, though, since an hour had passed and he _still _hadn't shown up. I flipped open the little black cell phone. I could call him. It would be understandable for me to do so, its not like he'd get angry. Maybe. It might bother him a little. But it would still make sense for me to be worried! So he couldn't really say anything about it.

He scared me, though. What if I called him, and then he said this whole thing was some gigantic test and fired me? I could never predict how he would act - as I mentioned earlier, he was a conundrum. I decided, after little thought, not to call him. I had only one real solution come to mind, and it wasn't one that I liked. Still, no stopping progress. I pocketed the little black cell phone and hopped into the elevator and down to the first floor. As the doors opened, Mrs. Tanaka raised her eyes from whatever she was reading (Some woman's health magazine or something) and smiled at me. She seemed amused at something, which made me feel rather uneasy.

"Why, hello Ran," she cheerfully spouted, making me pause for a second because I didn't know she knew my name. I knew hers though, so I shouldn't be surprised that she knew mine. "Everything alright, sweetheart? You look a little lost."

"Ah, actually," I stammered nervously, "Minamino-san hasn't come in yet. I was wondering... if something happened. Or something. If you had heard from him, I guess."

She looked surprised, "He _hasn't?_ My, that _is_ strange. Are you sure? Did you knock on his door? Or did you just walk in and sit at your desk?"

My eyes narrowed. She couldn't think I was really so stupid that I wouldn't see if he was in his office. Her eyes were alight with amusement at my expense. So _that's_ how its gonna be. "I checked, he wasn't in there. I was thinking about calling him, but -"

" - Yes, well, if you came down here to get his number, I'm afraid I can't help you. I don't have his cell phone number, just his home phone, which I'm not supposed to call unless its an emergency." Her eyes met mine, "And, I'm sure this _isn't_ an emergency."

"Well, no. I mean, I didn't come down here for that, he already gave me his cell phone number, but as I was saying I didn't want to call him because -"

"_You have his cell phone number?_" There was something viciously curious in her voice that almost made me want to say that I _didn't._

"W...well, yes." I stammered, "I've had it for a few days now, actually."

"_But you just started here TODAY!"_ she exclaimed, slamming her hand down on her magazine. People were staring at us now, I noticed.

"I just need to know if he told you he wouldn't be here today or something!" I wanted to get this over with and just leave. She was embarrassing me (or was I embarrassing myself?)I didn't need this hassle on my first day.

"For your information, he did _not._ If you don't even know how to keep track of your own boss then I don't think -"

"Now let's stop this cat fight right here," From the left, two women walked toward the scene. One was shorter than me, with blonde hair, and the other one, the one who had spoke, was tall with long black hair and bright violet eyes. "Because I have little patience for lies. Mrs. Tanaka, you're the one who sent the notice out that Minamino-san wouldn't be here today. _Everyone_ was supposed to get it." She eyed me, "And the fact that you lied to this girl about getting the notice makes me think you forgot about her on _purpose._"

Mrs. Tanaka let out a loud "Hmph!" and then turned the other way, "I don't have to answer to _you._ Maybe I _forgot_ her because her job didn't even _exist _until this morning." At that she locked eyes with me again, maliciously saying, "I wonder what kind of trick you pulled to get him to accept you as his _personal_ assistant - you even have the gall to get him to give you his _cell phone number. _Must have done something pretty _low_ -"

"Watch what you say," the small, blonde girl chimed in. Her voice was light - and though she spoke quietly I could hear her perfectly, "because this girl _is_ his personal assistant, and though you may not have to listen to Kasumi and I, you _do_ have to listen to Minamino-Kaichou." Her words were innocent enough, but there was a threat behind it. A very real, very serious threat. Mrs. Tanaka didn't say anything else, so the tall one, Kasumi, turned her attention to me.

"Hey, new girl. Technically, I guess, you don't have to work today. So I guess that means you can go home, or," she grinned, "You could let Natsumi and I give you the grand tour - at least of this floor. The other floors are kind of boring, anyway."

"S-sure, I guess..." I mumbled, not really sure what I _should _do. Part of me wanted to just leave and never come back, but I knew I should at least be nice to Kasumi for helping me out with Mrs. Tanaka.

"Awesome," Kasumi said, giving me a look over. I wondered how strange I must seem to them - I pretty much came out of no where into a position that didn't even exist. I must have been some kind of anomaly to them. Kasumi didn't seem like she disapproved of my existence, though, so at least there was some solace in that. "Well, after we're done with that we can grab something to eat. There are a few good sushi places around here," she must have seen my eyes look down for a brief second while I decided if I had enough money to go out to eat, "My treat, no worries."

"Is that wise?" Natsumi asked as we walked away from the front desk and towards a security door. Kasumi waved an ID card in front of it, and it opened. "Are we just going to ignore the work we have for the day? Kaichou seemed rather serious when he told us what we needed to do."

Kasumi waved her off, rolling her eyes, "It won't take long to finish his little project, especially between the two of us. We were almost done, anyway."

I looked around the room. There were a good many cubicles, white boards, and wooden doors. Just how big was this floor? People moved hurriedly around us as we moved through an aisle. My eyes shot to the name plates on each cubicle "Which one is yours?" I asked Kasumi.

She raised an eyebrow at my question, and then winked at me. "None of them - Natsumi and I have offices on the eighth floor. I do look after all activity on this floor, and a few of the others."

Impressive. I wouldn't have been able to tell by looking, but these girls were actually important. Mrs. Tanaka must not have known that when she said she didn't have to listen to them. Whatever they did, they were obviously more important than a receptionist. "So... What do you do?" I asked, and then immediately regretted it. I felt a little rude asking - she probably would have told me if she wanted me to know.

She shrugged, "Overlook activities for a good number of departments. Minamino also likes to get me to check up on the accounting department when the budget comes in," at my semi-surprised look, she added with a large grin, "I'm _very_ good at math, you see."

So that was Kasumi, but not Natsumi. I didn't want to ask her, though, because she seemed rather withdrawn. She had the same air of crypticness that Minamino Shuuichi did, and that made me a little more than uneasy.

"I look after the accounts of smaller companies we own, as well as make sure the heads of each department do their job," Natsumi said quietly. I hadn't noticed, but she has been staring at me, "In case you were curious."

"Ah... I was. Ah, thank you." I sputtered. _Yup, just like Minamino. Freaks me the heck out._ But I kind of liked her. She didn't seem to want me to be afraid of her, unlike her little act with Mrs. Tanaka.

Kasumi paused and then frowned, "Now that I think about it, this floor isn't really that interesting." We had traveled straight across the room to the other side. Side by side, we stared out above the cubicles. Behind us was an empty whiteboard and a table. This place looked like a real office. I had never seen one like it, except for on TV. It seemed so busy, but homey at the same time. I liked it.

With her trademark grin, Kasumi eyed me, and then looked back out at the people hard at work. She cupped her hands together and then yelled, "Okay, listen up!" All at once, everyone seemed to look straight at us. People leaned out of their cubicles to see what was going on. I looked back and forth between Natsumi, who had her eyes closed and calm, and Kasumi, who had the devil's own grin on her face as she slapped my back and continued, "This here is Sakana Ran - she'll be working with us from now on. Before I go and get some sushi, let's give her a real Hatanaka welcome!"

Silence. My knees were shaking, my face was getting hot, and I was starting to sweat. I bowed, and some how said as clearly as I could "Please take c-care of me."

The office erupted with applause, and a chorus of _Hello! _and _Welcome!_ Several people walked up to us and shook my hand, telling me their names and various things about themselves. I was a little overwhelmed, and it didn't help that a few people glared at me as they passed. I could only imagine that, like Mrs. Tanaka, they didn't think I belonged here. I didn't want to tell them that I kind of agreed.

"Alright," Kasumi said, looking awfully pleased with herself, "Let's get some sushi!"

The place she led me to was only a block or two away. Like the few sushi houses I had been to, they set us in a small room closed off with a thin paper-screen door. Kasumi ordered for us - a large platter of various sushi, served on a large ornate plate. Kasumi had taken the menu from me when I tried to look at how much it cost. At my questioning, Natsumi brushed some of her blonde hair from her eyes and said, "You don't want to know."

The second the waitress left the door and shut our door, Kasumi grabbed three sushi rolls and placed them on her plate. I grabbed two, and popped a third into my mouth. While I was chewing, Kasumi asked, "So is Minamino good in bed?"

I nearly choked on my sushi as I tried to swallow it. Coughing, I asked, "_Excuse me?_"

At my embarrassed gasping for air, her wide grin got even wider, "Oh, shy type. It's okay, you can tell me," a giggle, "I can keep a secret."

I wasn't sure what to say, but I suddenly realized why Kasumi wanted to take me out - like Mrs. Tanaka and the other people in the office, they must think I did something ... _underhanded _... to get my job. I was actually starting to like these two, so I knew I had to clear up this misunderstanding immediately, "It's nothing like that - We haven't... done. Anything."

"I believe you," Natsumi said, looking up from under her lashes, "Kaichou's not he kind of person to mix attraction and his business," her voice sounded a little disappointed as she said this. "You should know better than that, Kasumi."

Kasumi rolled her eyes, "I was just teasing her, Natsumi. Though, I _am_ curious," she pointed her chopsticks at me, "Do you know Minamino from somewhere else? Did you go to university or something with him?"

I shook my head, "I met him at an interview a few weeks ago," _for Mrs. Tanaka's job, _I wanted to add, _which I didn't get._ "And then met him again a few days ago," _And then he broke into my apartment while I was sleeping, _"and...well, here I am."

"Hmm." Kasumi suspiciously started, "What happened when you met again? Why would he make you his personal assistant out of no where?" She seemed to just be musing to herself, but I was getting uncomfortable.

"I think it was because he felt sorry for me," I said quietly, playing around with my chopsticks. They both seemed interested at what I had said, and waited for me to continue, "When we met again, it was at a ramen stand. I had been having some trouble with money, and when he accidentally... broke my cell phone, I kind of ran off." I felt embarrassed thinking about how silly I had acted in front of him and his friend. I didn't want to tell them that Minamino had broken into my apartment, so I modified the end a little, "I guess he found my address from the resume I had left for the interview, but he found me and reimbursed me for the cell phone, and then he," I paused, not sure how to say this next part.

"And then he...?" Kasumi learned forward, eagerly. I could only imagine what she was imagining.

My eyes shifted back down to my sushi, "He noticed that I had no utilities running in my apartment, so he paid for that and my rent. And then he offered me a job." I shrugged, "And here I am."

"And here you are. That sounds so much like him, doesn't it Natsumi?"

"Yes. Now I understand," Natsumi's eyes were closed, as if she were reminiscing, "We were living on the streets when Kaichou found us. I suppose we were...easy for him to spot."

Kasumi continued her explanation, "He reached his hand out to Natsumi and helped her up after she had fallen. He wasted no time and straight out asked if we would work for him," she laughed, "Natsu's been in love with him ever since."

A faint red came to the blonde girl's cheeks. She looked away, a slight pout on her lips, "Yes. I'm not afraid to admit it, and as many times as I've straight out told him, he has rejected me."

"I'm sorry to hear that," I said, and it was only half the truth. While I did feel sorry for her, I wasn't surprised. Aside from the fact that I had heard he was gay, he didn't seem like the type who was really... into relationships. He seemed too busy in his own little world to let anyone in. I don't know why, but it hurt to think about how alone he seemed to make himself.

"So what about you?" Natsumi asked, staring straight into my eyes, "Do you like him?"

I was quiet for a second, trying to decide what she was asking. I decided to go with the truth, "He is attractive, and he does peak my interest a bit," I could have sworn her eyes narrowed as she calculated how big of a threat I was to her love life, "But ultimately, he scares me. Confuses me. Both. I don't know what to think of him, so I've decided to just leave it at that." I looked away from her gaze, "I get the feeling that if I try to uncover his secrets, I'll be devoured by him." _Nice metaphor, Ran._ Inwardly, I rolled my eyes.

Natsumi slapped her hands against the table, putting her face inches away from mine. I thought she was about to attack me, but when I saw excited look in her eyes, the wide smile that I wouldn't have thought she could make, I was too surprised to back away, "But that's the best part! That mystery! That intrigue! The _danger!_ It's what makes him so, so, so...unobtainable! Like an idol!" She laughed to herself, "What makes it better is that you can't tell what type he is by just looking at him, or even talking to him!"

"T...type?"

"You know, like, _shy type!_ Is he so closed off because he's shy? Because intimacy embarrasses him? How cute! Or, is he the _lovely type?_ Waiting for the perfect, single moment to be romantic, taking love _seriously!"_

I blinked a few times, trying to digest this. I hadn't pegged Natsumi for a hopeless romantic - being one myself, I almost felt a little closer to her.

"Wild type," Kasumi said, "He's quiet, but passionate about his work. I'm sure he's be at least that passionate about love."

I sipped at my drink, and then tapped my finger to my lips in thought. "No, I think..." I trailed off, looking to the side, "If I had to give Minamino-san a type, I think he would be an attack type."

The other two looked at me, interested. "Go on," Kasumi urged.

I blushed, "It's just... he's always in his own little world, but he seems like the type who would think of a girls heart as something to own. I have the feeling he'd like more to get a reaction out of a girl instead of her love." Attack type. The type who would come from behind you and hold you, bite your ear and then walk away just to see how you would react. If wanted, an attack type could be heartlessly cruel. A tease. "That's what I think, at least."

"It's perfect," Natsumi exclaimed, biting her thumb, "I hadn't thought of the attack type... not for him, at least." Her eyes met mine again, but now I felt that I had gained her approval. Was I making friends?

"What's perfect?" Our door slid open, and all of us jumped. I blinked unbelievably at the face of Minamino Shuuichi, who was looking straight at me with a mischievous look in his eyes. _Oh, god, he heard me, didn't he?_

"Oh, hey, Boss." Kasumi didn't seem surprised at all for him to be there, "We were just deciding what type you are. Want to join us?"

He laughed, patting Natsumi on the head as he took the only seat available. The one next to me. "Well, I can't say no to free sushi," he said, picking at the still full platter in front of us.

"What are you doing here, Kaichou?" Natsumi's face had a slight blush to it. I kind of felt sorry for her, because she obviously felt very strongly about Minamino. "That receptionist said you had to make a trip out of town."

"That _was_ the plan, yes," he smiled at her, "But Kaitou decided he would come down here. He just left - we were in the next room. I heard my name, so, naturally I was curious." He looked at me then, "Though, I am surprised to see you here with these two, Sakana-san. Mrs. Takana was supposed to call you and let you know you could stay home."

"Well, I, she, we..." I opened my mouth and then closed it. Though she had intentionally forgotten to call me, I didn't want to get Mrs. Takana in trouble. I looked away, not sure how to answer.

Kasumi answered for me, though, "She didn't call her," she said simply, and then added "On purpose."

Minamino frowned. "Well. That's not something I like to hear."

"A lot of people seem to think Sakana-san tricked you into hiring her," Natsumi said, "I thought otherwise, but Mrs. Takana obviously doesn't."

A small chuckle, "I wouldn't say it was a trick, but I was able to meet with Kaitou today mostly because of Sakana-san." He was talking about me like I wasn't here, which bothered me. I almost wanted to say something about it, but I didn't. The other two seemed surprised at what Minamino had said.

"_How?" _Kasumi exclaimed, "Are they related or something?" She looked at me, as if she was trying to find something in my face that looked like this Kaitou person. She frowned, so she must have been disappointed.

"Well, no. Sakana just happened to be in the right place at the right time."

"Complete luck," I added under my breath.

"It just so happens that I could use a good luck charm in my office." He had closed his eyes and leaned back. I hadn't really thought about it, but he was probably in an important discussion before joining us. He seemed a little worn out, now that I examined him. He probably felt grateful that Kasumi and Natsumi were here, so he could unwind a little bit.

Did Kasumi know that before coming here? She wasn't surprised to see him here, and had to have known that the three of us wouldn't have finished this whole platter. But Minamino's plans had changed after Mrs. Tanaka had told them he wouldn't be in the office today. Just how did Kasumi know he'd be here?

They had been chatting amongst themselves while I had been contemplating about this, when Minamino said, "Which reminds me, why _are _you here? Your lunch break isn't for another two hours, Kasumi."

She didn't meet his eyes, but grinned, "had to paint the town with Ran, Boss," She winked at me, "Just shut up and enjoy your sushi."

"Thank you, Kasumi." There was more to his words than I could understand.

Three hours passed in the sushi house. The two girls seemed to be able to keep everything interesting for as long as they wanted, and I hadn't even noticed the passage of time until Kasumi said they needed to get back to the office.

"Are you gonna come with us, Kaichou?" Natsumi asked once we were outside.

"No, I don't think so. I think I'll take advantage of this change of plans and get some things done at the house. I have some phone calls to make, anyway."

Kasumi didn't seem to like this. Was it because he wasn't coming back to the office? "There's no arguing with you, so just take it easy, okay?"

"Will do," he said, and then turned to me, "A day off for me means a day off for you. You can go home, if you wish. There's nothing at the office for you to do right now, anyway."

"I guess I'll go home," I replied, "I don't think I'd like sitting in the office without anything to keep me busy."

"I'll walk you home then," before I could argue, he turned back to Natsumi and Kasumi, "Please take care of things today. And about that project -"

"Consider it done, Boss. Stop worrying about it," Kasumi grinned, and the two turned. She waved at us from behind, "Later."

We watched them walk away for a few seconds before Minamino turned back to me.

"Shall we, then?"

I nodded and followed him through the street. It was a lot less busy than it was this morning, but even so there were still so many people rushing about.

"I'm sorry that you had to come in today and waste your time," he said as we walked.

I shook my head, "I enjoyed meeting those two, at least. It wasn't a waste of my time."

He smiled. He was looking a lot less worn out now than he was at the sushi house. "They are something, that's for sure. If you ever need anything and I'm not around, you can trust them."

Trust them? I hardly trust you. "Thank you, I'll keep that in mind." A cold breeze hit my legs making them shake. It was hot outside aside from that. I stopped and looked around.

"Is something bothering you, Ran?" For the first time today, he called me by my name. That alone made me pause.

"No, just the wind."

"Wind?" He raised an eyebrow, and then his eyes narrowed almost inperceptively. "I see." See what?

We walked the rest of the way chatting about things that hardly mattered. He asked me if I liked the city, if that cell phone worked fine. To both I said yes, though I hadn't really messed with the cell phone, and the city made me homesick. We stood in front of my apartment building, and as I was about to say good bye to him, he met my eyes.

"You have my cell phone number, Ran. If anything happens, you know you can call me." My eyes narrowed. He had told me this before, but he hardly seemed the type who liked to repeat himself. At my pause, he added, "Even if its not work related, I'll help you if I can."

"Anything?" I asked.

"Yes. Is something on your mind, Ran?"

I looked away, thinking back to the sushi house. Kasumi had set it all up so he could relax. How she knew he would be there, I didn't want to know. But she had worked hard, and the look in her eyes when he said he was going home to work some more nearly broke my heart. "Can you promise me something?" I asked quietly.

He looked at me curiously, and then nodded.

"When you go home, just relax for awhile before you decide to work again," his eyes widened in surprise momentarily, "You look worn out, so... whatever you had to talk to Kaitou about must have been...Stressful. Whatever. Just. Promise me, okay?"

He smiled, "I tell you I'll help you with anything you need, and you tell me to go take a break," he chuckled, "alright, Ran, I promise."

"I don't believe you, but I'll take it." I turned to enter the building, and almost didn't hear him when he said:

"Thank you."

I turned to look at him, and our eyes met for a brief moment before he turned away and started to walk. Another cold wind hit my face as I watched him, and I looked away. By the time I was in my apartment, I had already decided:

Screw attack type. That guy was in a classification of his own.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: <strong>Hello, and welcome to the single longest chapter I will probably ever write of Work for It. At a staggering 7000 words, excluding this AN, my fingers fell off long ago. The last half was written with my toes. True story.

In this chapter, there was a lot less Ran in it, which I don't know if I like or not. I wanted to show that the world around Ran changes the second she enters that building, whether she knows it or not. A lot of nothing happened in this chapter, so I'm not sure why it's so long. Not that I'm _really_ going to argue about that. Seriously.

You also got to meet two new characters this chapter - Kasumi and Natsumi. Two people who will be important to Ran, but not to the story (At least, not as I plan it. It has a life of its own, so we'll see.) They have their share of secrets, but for the most part I really like them. Kasumi is outgoing, with a personality that just _screams _"I was at least a little inspired by Yusuke!" Natsumi is a little different, though. She's the quiet type who doesn't need to say much for you to listen to her, but she also has a little, romantic girl hidden under all that. I really like them.

Natsumi calls Kurama Minamino-Kaichou, or just Kaichou. I hoped it would show just how much respect she has for him, aside from that blinding little girl love. Whereas Kasumi calls him Boss and sometimes seems sarcastic, I also tried to show that she cares for him as well.

For those of you who wished me well, I thank you. As someone who gets a lot of motivation from my readers (Thats you!) I can't really explain how much your support really means to me.

I'm also working on something special for Work For It - a webpage. A small thing, with character bios and some behind-the-scenes extras, including a chapter or two in Kurama's point of view. Mostly, though, it'll be there as a gallery for all the pictures I've drawn, so look forward to that.


	5. Blood Spills and Cold Chills

Blood. Blood is everywhere. All over me, all over Minamino, and all over my desk. I didn't really think that my second day working would end like this, because all-in-all, it was a pretty good day. There is a part of me, though, who kind of saw it coming. I mean, who wouldn't? For the first time in a long time, I had gone an entire day (almost) without tripping over something, breaking something, or doing something wrong.

I guess Sakana Ran isn't supposed to have good days like that. The Universe had to balance it out the best it could. By making me bleed.

The day had started out pretty normally, really. I woke up, got dressed, packed my purse with three boxes of pocky, and then left for work. When I had gotten there, Minamino was waiting for me in the office.

"Good morning, Ran," He had smiled. His hair was a little messed up in the back - I had never pegged Minamino to be one who would let himself get away with bed head. He looked a lot better than he had when I had parted with him the day before, so maybe he really did go home and get some rest instead of working. Not only did I think that would make Kasumi happy, strangely it made me feel better as well. I hadn't realized until then that I had been worried about him. Not that I would ever tell _him_ that - or anyone, for that matter.

"Good morning, Minamino-san," I bowed slightly, letting my purse hit my knees. I was wearing a black and white office ensemble, with a pencil skirt that reached just above my knees. I had also tied my hair back into a bun - not that I could get much of my hair up into a bun, as short as it was. I must have actually looked like a personal assistant today, and maybe that's why I kinda felt like one, too. "Did you get some rest? Have you had breakfast today?"

He chuckled at my questions - I assume I must have sounded a bit like his mother. I figured, though, that a personal assistant would worry about these types of things. I didn't think Minamino would be the type who didn't take care of himself, though, but it didn't hurt to ask. "Yes, and no. I was running a little late this morning. I apologize."

I frowned. "You overslept, didn't you?"

He looked at me plainly, "No," he lied.

"You totally did. You went home and worked some more, didn't you? How late were you up?" Though, I couldn't really chastise him for staying awake too late; I myself hadn't gone to bed until two-thirty. They were running a marathon of a bunch of romantic films, and I had lost track of time.

"I went to bed at around ten, Ran." A smirk twitched at the corner of his mouth as he continued, "After all, I promised you that I would rest, didn't I?"

"And I told you I didn't believe you, didn't I?"

He laughed, but said nothing else. He was obviously still tired, and a little rushed. At least I had gotten some food before I left the house, whereas he was too busy sleeping. I must have let some of this worry leak into my expression, because he had decided to speak again, "I'm fine, Ran."

I tried not to roll my eyes, but sighed. "Yes, Minamino-san," I decided to just leave it alone. He was stubborn enough that we could be at this all day... or until he got angry. I didn't want to figure out which would come first. I set my purse by my desk, and then sat down. Still smirking, Minamino walked over to my desk and laid down a file.

"Now, if you could look over this for me and make sure all the information is correct, I would be grateful. The information you need is in the brown folder in the bottom left drawer. If everything is correct, please bring the file to me so I can sign it - if not, please make the necessary corrections before handing it to me."

I nodded, and immediately started to look for the brown folder. I leaned down and opened the drawer he had specified, and then heard the soft _click_ of his office door closing. When I sat back up, I knew he was already at his desk, working again. _He's going to work himself to death, _I frowned as I begun looking over the file. It was simple work, really - though I didn't understand the paperwork, the instructions on the files in the brown folder were clearly written and easy to follow. They explained everything I would need to see in clear detail. What surprised me was that they were all written by hand, almost like they were someone's personal notes.

_If a company name is listed at the top, make sure the owner's name is listed below. If a name is listed at the top, make sure a company name is listed below. If a company name comes first, the file refers to the whole company - if a name comes first, the file refers to just the person listed_.

Easy enough. I make sure a company name was listed under the name written at the top, and then checked the other things as I went down the list - date submitted, date reviewed, notice of approval/disapproval... The handwritten notes were like a template to base the whole file on. Whoever had written these had worked hard to get every detail worked out.

But then I hit a snag. The file, which I had discovered was more of a loan-based agreement of sorts, listed the amount to be transferred as 15,483,950 Yen. Good god, that was a lot of money. I could buy a house with that much money. Hell, I could probably buy two. And then a car. Not that I would really want, or _need_ two houses and a car. It would just be nice to have the resources to do so. In one of the notes in the brown folder, it had said to try and avoid loans of over 10,000,000 yen at a time - and this was nearly two times that.

So what was I supposed to do? I couldn't just go in and change it to 10,000,000 yen, could I? But, the notes hadn't let me down this far, and Minamino _did_ say that I should follow them. gulping, I wrote down the amount of 15, 438, 950 yen on a post it, so that I wouldn't forget the total in case this went the wrong way. Then, I carefully brushed white-out over the numbers. As I waited for the white-out to dry, I flipped through the notes and tried to find something that would help me in this situation - there was only one thing I could think of to help.

_If more than the maximum amount is asked for, use the last field on the file._

I flipped the page, making sure not to smear the strong smelling white out, and looked at the last field. It was nothing but four empty lines, with no description or anything. What would I do with four empty lines? Maybe these notes weren't so all-knowing after all.

When the white-out dried, I wrote in 10,000,000 carefully, trying not to let my hand shake. After that, I couldn't figure out what to do. I sat there for a good ten minutes before deciding, and then knocked on Minamino's door.

"Come in," he called, looking up only briefly when I opened the door. "Ah, finished already?"

"Yes, sir," I mumbled, handing him the file. "If you could look over that, I would appreciate it..." I could almost hear the beating of my heart in my chest as I prepared for him to yell at me or something. Tell me that I was ridiculous, or whatever bosses did when new workers messed up.

He flipped through it, looking over my minor changes before flipping the whole thing over and signing it. "Very good, Ran. I had looked over the amount asked for when I looked through it earlier. Thank you," he signed it, and then passed it back to me. "If you would please hand this to Mrs. Tanaka - she'll send it off."

I bowed and said_ 'Yes, sir!'_ and practically bounced to the elevator. Looking over the file again, I read what I had put in the four lines:

_Please re-issue a file for the rest of your desired amount._

It wasn't anything amazing or fancy, but it worked, and Minamino had _thanked _me for it. It was different from the mysterious thank you he had given me the night before, but it was still unique in that I felt I had _earned_ it. As the elevator led me to the first floor, I found my cheeks getting a little hot.

Stepping out of the elevator meant stepping into the air conditioning - as usual, it was unpredictable, blowing strongly and then softly. I laid the file on Mrs. Tanaka's desk and avoided eye contact as I said, "Minamino-san would like this sent out, please."

"Whatever," she replied, yanking it off of her desk and setting it on top of a pile of folders labeled 'out.' "I don't see why you can't do it _yourself._" She didn't even bother to mumble.

I glared at her, deciding not to deal with this today, and then said "Just send the damned file."

I guess she didn't think I was the kind of person who could get nasty, because she quickly looked away. I strolled back to the elevator - not before buying a honey bun from the vending machine and stashing it away in my skirt pocket - a little impressed with myself. I didn't think I was the kind of person who could get nasty, either, but for some reason I just felt... I don't know, ruthless. Not really angry, but malicious. Strange, I guess. I felt strange.

The elevator was colder than the first floor entrance - it felt like wind was blowing at my legs. Or like something was crawling around on them. I looked down to see, just in case, but there was nothing. The longer I stared, though, the more a white, translucent figure seemed to take shape, winding against my legs, over my skirt, around my waist -

I screamed.

I mean, I really, really screamed.

I hadn't screamed like that for years - the last time I had even screamed was when I was still in high school. A group of girls had decided that I needed to be thrown from the second story into the school pool. I had knocked my head on the concrete bottom of the pool, letting out a loud scream underwater which no one could hear.

And I felt like no one would hear this one, either.

I toppled onto the ground, closing my eyes and hoping - _praying_ - that when I opened them there would be nothing on me. No cold, white _thing_ crawling up my body, no strong wind pushing down on my body, making me unable to stand up. When I opened my eyes, there would be just me, in an elevator, looking foolish and scared for no reason.

But when I opened my eyes, I was not alone. The door to the elevator was open, and standing there was Minamino. He grabbed my wrist, pulling me up and out of the elevator. He placed his hands on my shoulders and shook me.

"Ran, are you alright?" He demanded, looking me up and down, "Why did you scream?"

I couldn't answer. I couldn't open my mouth. What was I supposed to say? Something just _appeared _on me? Came from no where, along with a cold, harsh wind...

The wind. The cold wind I had been feeling - somehow the two were connected. But how? But _why? _Why _me?_

I couldn't tell Minamino. Something strange was going on, something had attacked me, and I couldn't get him involved. Not to mention, I would look crazy if I tried to explain what had happened to him.

"Ran?" he asked, quieter. "Say something."

"Nothing, sir. I fell... The elevator was moving - It was scary to trip. I lost my sense of direction, and... it was just spooky."

His eyes narrowed for a second, and then he let me go, gently, as if I might break if he set me down wrong. "Are you sure?"

No, no I'm not. I met his eyes and then nodded once. "Yes. I'm sorry for startling you, sir."

He sighed. "It's alright, Ran. If you could possibly call the list of numbers that I laid on your desk and ask if they still plan to attend the conference tomorrow, I would appreciate it. I have to make a few phone calls myself..."

"Yes, sir."

"Thank you, Ran."

I suddenly remembered. "Sir?" I called out, as he turned away. He stopped and looked back at me. I fished the honey bun out of my pocket and tossed it at him. "It's not a good breakfast, but its something. Please don't overwork yourself."

He closed his eyes and then smiled, "Thank you, Ran," he repeated, only this time it sounded more genuine.

He went back to his office (I heard the sound of him unwrapping the honey bun as he closed the door) , and I started making calls. I dialed the first number slowly so I could make sure I got every number right. "Sanada-San? This is Minamino Shuuichi's assistant - are you still available for the conference? Yes, sir, its tomorrow. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. I'll let him know. Thank you, sir." I wrote the words _Tell Shuuichi to cut his hair - Sanada_ on my notepad, and chuckled lightly at the request. Sanada-san sounded pretty old, and I suppose he _would_ feel a bit strange around a guy with such long hair. But I liked it - I couldn't really picture him without the long, flowing red... red, just like my cheeks were when I realized I was fantasizing about my Boss' hair.

_Red, like blood._

It was a disturbing thought, but once it had crossed my mind I couldn't get rid of the thought. Yes, the waves, the flow, the color... His hair looked like blood. Something about that disturbed me.

_Spiderman's outfit is red, too, _I thought to myself, trying to make the moment better with sarcasm. _And so is Superman's cape._ Comparing Minamino to superheroes didn't feel right, though. Who else could I compare him to? The villains? I thought long and hard, but the only red villain I could really think of was Carnage from Spiderman. He was red all over - and like Minamino had Spiderman-ish abilities. Still, a villain didn't seem right for Minamino, either. He was somewhere in-between, and I couldn't find an example to compare him to.

I tried my hardest to shake these thoughts from my head, and got back to work.

I didn't know that it was lunch time until I heard the _ding!_ of the elevator around one. A blast of cold air hit me, and in a panic I looked up from the busy work Minamino had saddled me with to see Natsumi and Kasumi walking towards my desk. The bad feeling went away instantly. I smiled when Kasumi waved eagerly at me.

"Hey there," she said, "Mind if we join you for lunch?"

"Not at all," I smiled, taking a pack of pocky from my purse. I wasn't sure if I would have access to a microwave, so I didn't bother bringing any of the instant noodles I had bought with that 8000 yen I had been... _given_ to me by Minamino.

"Is that all you're eating?" Natsumi asked, taking out her own, small packed lunch. Her small stature and the way she neatly unpacked her food after pulling a chair up to my desk almost made me feel like we were in high school.

I nodded, "I had a decent breakfast before I left, so I'm good for today," I opened the package and frowned to myself - the pocky was stuck together. I hated when that happened. I broke half of it apart, and then split it up into deformed little pocky-chunks. Oh well. It would have to do.

Kasumi laid three honey buns on my desk, "I'll trade you one of these for some of that pocky, Ran," she offered, passing one to me. I exchanged it for the other half of the box, which was still stuck together. She neatly pulled them apart, so she had nice looking pocky while I had... well. Yeah.

We started talking about nothing in particular, and I almost didn't notice when Minamino opened the door to his office. Kasumi tossed him one of the honey buns she had brought, and he caught it easily. "Thank you," he said, and then unwrapped it as he leaned against his door. I watched him chew for a few seconds, and then felt creepy for watching him eat. I looked away.

"So how bad did you oversleep?" Kasumi asked him, grinning slightly. I could tell that the thought of him not sleeping right actually bothered her, which made me wonder if Natsumi wasn't the only one here with a crush on Minamino.

"I went to bed at ten," he told her the same line he had given me, but she seemed reassured by his obvious lie. _Maybe its not obvious to her, _I wondered. _Maybe he's telling the truth and I'm just overly cynical._

"Well, good. You're going to go bald if you keep working yourself like a dog," she said, opening her own honey bun.

Minamino smiled slightly, "Well, that would sure make Sanada-san happy," He had laughed aloud when I had told him the old man's message - though he made sure to tell me he had no plans of doing so. He wouldn't say, but he had long hair for a reason. Remembering back to my interview, I wondered if it was because he was gay. But he seemed too manly to like to dress in drag - not that my thoughts made any sense.

Natsumi took a few bites before muttering, "I think you'd look good with shorter hair."

Kasumi laughed, "But so much less fashionable!"

I felt comfortable around these three, for some reason. Though I could still feel a cool chill on my neck, I was able to ignore it for the most part because I was trying to keep up with the conversation. I still couldn't help myself from rubbing the back of my neck everyone and awhile, to try and warm it up.

"Is something wrong, Sakana-san?" Minamino asked me the third time I had rubbed my neck.

"No, sir," I said quickly.

The three of them eyed me strangely, but even stranger was the glint in Minamino's eyes.

"Are you cold?" Natsumi asked, looking up from under her long lashes. Her eyes were more curious than anything - where as Minamino was still staring at me strangely.

"Y-yeah," I mumbled, looking down. I popped the last bite of my honey bun into my mouth.

Kasumi shrugged, "Feels kinda warm in here to me. Maybe you're getting a cold."

"I hope not," I smiled, placing my hands on my knees so they couldn't see them trembling under the desk. I didn't feel even a little bit of warmth in this room.

Minamino still hadn't said anything, but finally looked away from me and to his watch. "Alright, it looks like its about time to get back to work." He looked at the girls, "Thank you for joining us," _Us, _I thought, _makes _us_ sound like an old couple._

Kasumi stood, patting me on the back, "No problem, Boss. " Natsumi stood to join her after calmly folding her napkin over her lunch box. The two started to walk away before Kasumi turned back and said, "Oh, and, Boss," her eyes flashed to me quickly and then back to him, "About that thing? You were right. All over."

I raised an eyebrow and looked between them. Minamino just nodded, his expression unreadable. "Please, take care of yourselves." The two girls nodded at them, and then stepped into the elevator. The second the door closed, Minamino turned on me.

"Why is it," he said calmly, "That every time you call me 'sir' you're lying about something, Ran?"

I couldn't say anything. The look in his eyes left no room for argument. I looked away, struggled for a moment with a response, and decided that silence - although damning - was the safest answer. I couldn't argue, because I couldn't prove him wrong. Even though I wasn't sure if he was right. Did I call him Sir? Was I lying? I could hardly recall.

When he realized he wasn't going to get a response out of me, he sighed, "It's alright, Ran. I want you to trust me, not fear me. If a time comes when you find yourself in over your head, I can help you." He must have seen the disbelief in my eyes, because he began to frown.

I didn't believe that he could help me. I didn't know what was wrong with me, but it wasn't normal. I was beginning to think I had imagined the whole thing, but even now I could feel my body surrounded by the cold. I knew that If I would concentrate, I would see whatever it was again - and then I would scream. I refused to look down at my body until I was alone again.

"I need to run down to the sixth floor," he mentioned, changing the subject and dragging me out of my panicked thoughts, "Would you come with me, please? And grab that notepad," he motioned to the one of my desk.

I nodded and picked it up, flipping to an empty page. He started towards the elevator and pressed the button, "After you," he smiled, and I walked past him.

Something pressed into my back, and suddenly it was warm again. I looked back, but there was nothing. Minamino was already beside me in the elevator, pushing the button for the sixth floor. "Something wrong?" He asked.

"No, Minamino-san," my voice sounded a bit mystified to me, and I wasn't really sure what had happened. But it felt _warm._ There was no blast of air, nor a cold stranglehold on me. "Nothing's wrong."

He smiled pleasantly as the elevator went down, "Good to hear."

This was the first time I had been in such an enclosed place with Minamino. We were both leaning against the back wall, our shoulders just inches from touching. His right shoulder, my left. I could feel the heat of his body from my shoulder... I couldn't help but blush just a tiny bit. He smelt good, too. A floral smell, which vaguely reminded me of my shampoo. I suppose him having a girl's shampoo wouldn't be out of the question, being homosexual and all, but there was something about it that didn't seem..._girly_ at all. His heat, his smell, the way he held himself... it was all very... manly. I remembered that it was Mrs. Tanaka who had told me that Minamino Shuuichi liked men, and perhaps it was my overwhelming disfavor towards her, but I was beginning to think she was wrong. No, I think I was _hoping _she was wrong. Either way, I...

_Ding!_ The doors open and we stepped out onto the sixth floor, one of the many floors I hadn't been to in the building (In fact, I had been to _two_ floors. The first, and then the twenty-second.) The elevator let out into a hallway, a _long_ one. He stepped out first and I followed behind him, noting the _click_ of our shoes on the tile floor. He led me to the last room on the left and opened the door. It was a big room, mostly empty save for a long wooden table, a projector, and two white boards on either side of the room. A conference room, I realized.

He started looking through some files on which were strewn about the front end of the table. Without looking at me, he said, "This is the room the meeting will be in tomorrow, Ran. It's very important that you remember a few things before the meeting starts," he looked at me then, a serious look in his eyes, "This whole table will be full on both ends. It will be loud - all those present will be men, and most of them are pretty old-fashioned. They don't believe women really have a place in _this_ world. My only request is that you stand behind me at all times, and no matter what they say to you just smile and nod. Do not talk."

Me, not talk? I almost wanted to start protesting for women's rights, but I knew he was serious. "Yes, Minamino-san."

The pleasant look was back on his face, "Of course, they will try and talk to you. If you need to, you can make some small talk, but for the most part just try to make due with smiles and happy thoughts. It won't be as bad as I make it sound, I'm sure."

"Yes, Minamino-san."

He frowned.

"What?"

He paused for a moment, and then said, "You can call me Shuuichi... In private."

_Private meaning, what?_ I just nodded. He said nothing else, but was looking at me expectantly. "Yes... Minamino-san." I tried, but I couldn't do it. It didn't feel right.

He chuckled, picking up some papers and then straightening them out. "Shall we get back to the office, then?"

I nodded. I was almost excited to get back - though not the same cold as before, this room was freezing. It was too empty for my tastes, and I felt that even when it was filled I would still feel the same.

When we got back to the office, Minamino placed the files he had grabbed on my desk, and then pulled a chair up beside mine. "Let's go over these together," he had said, explaining that he wanted me to be able to follow the conference tomorrow. Basically, he told me, several companies were trying to withdraw from contracts they had with Hatanaka Corporation. The issue with this was that we could lose a lot of money and more companies might try to do the same - follow by example and whatnot. Minamino had decided to get the companies thinking about withdrawing into one room, and have them talk it over amongst themselves. "The thing with these people," he said, a tone of disapproval in his voice, "Is that they can't stand it when they're confronted, nor when they have to listen to people just like themselves. They might decide not to withdrawal just so they don't have to sit in a room and be annoyed by each other," He was joking, but I could tell that he didn't think that outcome was too far of a stretch.

The whole time he was explaining this to me, I was acutely aware of the fact that he was so close to me - closer than we were in the elevator. From time to time, his knee would knock into my knee, and one of us would move so that we weren't touching. At some point, I had no more space to move without making it obvious I was avoiding his touch, and it seemed like he didn't want to bother with moving anymore. The longer our knees touched, the hotter it seemed to feel - and the redder I was certain my face got. I saw his grin from the corner of my eye, and knew he was doing this on purpose. _Fine, then. Two can play at that game._ I poured all my concentration into following what he was saying, looking down at the papers, and then taking notes. When he stood up, saying it was about time to go home, I was relieved.

"Today was easy, Ran. The hard part begins tomorrow, so get some rest."

"Yes, Mina-"

"Shuuichi."

I looked up at his stare, and then back down, "Yes, Shuuichi." I blushed the second the name left my mouth, and looked up to see an amused light in his green eyes.

"Much better. Shall we go?"

Eagerly, I nodded, "Just let me put my notes in my purse," I grabbed the notepad hastily and then unzipped my purse, placing the notepad at the bottom. As I took my hand out, my palm slid against something smooth. It wasn't until I looked at my hand that the pain started. A long, thick gash took up the majority of my palm. In the seconds it took for me to register the pain, blood spurted out of the wound, and then dripped onto my desk.

Minamino, who had been grabbing some things from his office, rushed over the second he saw my face turn pale. "Ran! What happened?" before I could say anything, he grabbed my hand, which had begun to twitch at every sting of pain. It seemed like the blood didn't even bother him - for the most part my entire palm had become like a bowl filled with the red liquid, and when he grabbed it his hands began to get covered in it. Somewhere, in the back of my mind, I took note of how warm his hands felt as he swiped the blood away with his thumbs. "It's deep," he said, trying not to touch the cut itself. "What happened?"

"I-I don't know, I just reached into my purse a-and then," my words were shaky, and I was probably rambling. Calmly, he grabbed my other hand and pressed it against my palm.

"Keep it under pressure, okay?" I nodded, and then he grabbed my purse and dumped the contents out on my desk. Several shards of glass toppled out, and I gasped.

"I-I didn't..."

"No, I didn't think you did..." to my surprise, he grabbed one and then sniffed it. His frown deepened, and his eyes became troubled. "Who would..."

As he was talking to himself, the pain in my hand increased in sharp, sudden bursts. I gasped and then doubled over, not letting go even though I wanted to see what was going on. Minamino took my hand back from me, and then said something very strange.

"Close your eyes."

I furrowed my brow, looking skeptical, "_what?"_ He didn't repeat himself, though, and after a few moments of intense pain, I did as he asked.

It took awhile before I noticed the heat - it felt like my hand was on _fire._ I bit my lip, trying not to let out another gasp of pain. When the heat went away, so did the pain. I could feel only the pressure of his hand on mine... And I had to say, I enjoyed it much more than the searing pain.

"You can open your eyes now, Ran." His voice was soft, careful. The same carefulness was in his eyes when I finally opened mine. I looked from his face and down to my perfectly clean palm, resting calmly in his. Aside from the blood already on my hands and his, there was nothing - no cut, no pain...

I looked back up to him, wondering what my face must look like to him. Worried? Scared? Confused? Confused was a good one. He let out a breathe, and then let go of my hand. "What was..." I started, and then thought better of it. We stood there in awkward silence for a few moments before I said, "I didn't know Spiderman could heal people."

He looked at my first in surprise, and then in amusement. Chuckled, ran a hand through his bangs, and then chuckled some more. He was nervous - once again I had seen a side of him I wasn't supposed to have seen. "I'm not... Spiderman, Ran." he said, once he had calmed down a bit.

"Please. You can scale buildings with ease, heal people... you're some kind of superhero, or, or something," my voice was shaking a bit, and I was starting to get a little freaked out. Did Minamino take away the cold feeling, too?

"Ran..." He started, grabbing my shoulders, tilting my face up to meet his. I couldn't read his eyes - all I could tell is that they were green, endlessly, deeply green. "I thought you didn't want to know my secrets."

It took me awhile to get what he meant by that, and the second I connected the dots I pushed him away and covered my face, embarrassed of the heat that rushed to it. The words I had told Natsumi the day before rushed into my head. _I get the feeling that if I try to uncover his secrets, I'll be devoured by him._

He gently pulled my hands away from my face, replacing them with his own. "Shall I devour you, then?" he mused lightly, leaning close to my face, so close I could feel the heat from his face. I tried to look away, but his eyes held mine. Closer, closer. I closed my eyes, biting my lip.

His forehead rested on mine for a few seconds before he pulled away. I didn't realize until then that I had thought he was about to kiss me - and then I realized how disappointed I was that he hadn't. I cursed myself. I had told myself not to go down this road, not to feel these things for Minamino Shuuichi, he was too dangerous. But I couldn't escape it - just like the short Natsumi, and the witty and confident Kasumi, I too... with Shuuichi, I was...

_I liked him._

And not just, like, _like, _but I really, really _liked _him. I was so hopeless... so stupid. Not only was he out of my league, he was probably out of everyone on this _planet's_ league. I'd be fighting a losing battle if I went after him. Yet... I almost wanted to. I was so tempted to pull out all the stops, to try my hardest to get him to fall for me. The rational side of my brain quelled the rebellion as I rushed to my desk and piled my stuff back into my purse, being careful not to touch the glass. Minamino's eyes never left me as I did this, causing me to slip up and drop everything a few times.

"Ready, Ran?" He asked, completely back to normal. Without looking at him, I nodded.

I'd still have to endure an elevator ride right beside him. The second the doors opened, I leaned against the back wall for dear life. He pressed the first floor button and then stood next to me, not even bothering to give me any space. His arm was against mine the entire time. Was he trying to torture me? The way his eyes lit up when my discomfort was noticed told me yes.

But when the doors opened and we walked towards the entrance, he was professional again, one step ahead of me, fast paced, towards the door. He opened it for me, and I walked through. I waited for him to exit the building before saying goodbye to him. We parted ways rather quickly, and I almost ran back to my apartment. I kept passing through cold spots as I hurried down the busy streets, but the coldness never lingered. I felt it once, and then it was gone. Each burst of cool air, I noticed, felt different - individual.

I was more than relieved when I opened my apartment door and stepped inside. I needed some serious alone time to get all my thoughts in order. I locked the door behind me, threw my purse down and then kicked off my shoes. When I smelled smoke, I looked up.

From my table, a familiar face greeted me with a familiar voice, somewhat muffled by the cigarette in her mouth. She held a note card in her hand - the note card Minamino had left when he had broken in to my house, I noticed - and was looking rather displeased.

"What's up," she started, seeming to take pleasure in the fact she had scared me half to death, "It's been awhile, little sister."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: <strong>Well, I hope you guys are happy. This chapter went on for longer than I thought it would - I wanted a short chapter so I could get out a quick update... and while I feel the update was quick, the chapter was not short... Don't worry - I know you won't complain, and neither will I ;)

This chapter is... probably the chapter where Kurama is the most confusing. There's a reason for that - All in due time, grasshopper. This is _also_ the chapter where Ran starts to realize she can't pretend she doesn't like Kurama anymore... and the chapter that she starts to realize how strange he really is.

We also get a look into the "cold wind," she's been feeling - obviously, its not normal, considering it attacks her in elevators. I wonder what will come of this, hmm~

So, who is this mysterious girl who calls Ran "sister?" Smart money says it's her sister - and that's correct. Nothing strange or mysterious about her, but within the next few chapters we'll get into the dynamics of Ran's family...

Thanks to **Fickle Luck **for coming up with the name of the chapter - also thanks to her and **Kajihenge Yoko** for reading over the first few paragraphs 3 Be sure to check out thier stuff~ See you later~


	6. Cold and Empty

When I was in high school, I was in choir. I wasn't a super awesome singer or anything, but somehow I had managed to convince the director to give me a solo piece at the Fall concert - I can clearly remember, even now, the way she had told me to make sure I didn't lock my knees and just stand there, because if I did I might pass out.

_Bend your knees, bend your knees, _I repeated in my head as I stood there behind Minamino as he talked. The entire table was filled - all the people besides Me, Minamino, and another man were all older, with gray hair and bad attitudes.

I could see what Minamino had meant when he said they didn't think women belonged in this world - I kept getting disapproving glances from time to time, even though I had stood here quietly, emotionless, the whole time. I felt like they were just waiting for me to open my big mouth and say something stupid.

Little did they know, I was too busy trying not to pass out to do that.

The meeting started with Minamino leading me into the room - where everyone else already sat, loudly talking amongst themselves. The second we walked into the room, they became silent and just stared.

"Gentlemen," Minamino had started once he had sat down, "To get right down to it, let me remind you that there is a lady in the room... so lets not make this harder than it needs to be."

I tried my hardest not to shoot a glare at him, but as it was I could feel my eyes narrow slightly.

"And who _is_ this, Shuuichi-kun?" A man three chairs down asked, seeming slightly annoyed, "Because I have no reason to talk about business in front of your -"

"She's my assistant. She takes notes." He said calmly, but I could tell that he was a little agitated. "Moving on, I'm sure you realize the implications of your withdrawal in this process, you must to even risk it, but might I ask why you're so quick to damn your own companies?"

"What are you talking about, _Shuuichi?_" Another man, with a thick, strange accent started, "We know how to run our own companies - and we know what's wrong with them. We all rely on your _money_. Which in turn will eventually have us running into the ground, like that _poor bastard Yuu._"

"With all due respect," the person sitting to the left of Minamino said - He was the other young person I had noticed, and his voice sounded familiar, "I _am_ sitting right here." He pushed his glasses up, frowning, "And my loan from Minamino-kun had nothing to do with my decision to merge companies. Just common sense."

The men started murmuring again, obviously surprised that Kaitou would be there - then again, so was I. I had the list of people who were supposed to be at this meeting, and Kaitou wasn't on it. Minamino had obviously planned this... The companies involved obviously wanted to use Kaitou as an example to withdrawal... I see. Minamino wasn't going to let them do that. He had seen this coming.

I stole a glance at the back of his head. What was going on in that red-haired brain of his? Just how far ahead did he see?

"So your withdrawal has nothing to do with me," Kaitou concluded, closing his eyes, "So I would appreciate if you wouldn't drag me into this." He shot a glance at Minamino, as if asking _'that good for you?'_ to which Minamino smiled.

"That being said, gentlemen, why _do_ you want to withdrawal? Your investments are safe in this corporation, and I can guarantee that I do not want to take _anything_ from you." He had them cornered, it was easy enough to tell this just by watching the reaction on each one of their faces - they had lost their only safe explanation before they could even really use it.

Minamino dug the nail in deeper, "In all honesty, you've surprised me. My step-father had nothing but good things to say about his wise partners, yet you wish to withdrawal from a contract with the company he built from the ground up - in this room are the first partners he had ever had, and the last ones he ever trusted."

One man looked away, "You wish to ask us to risk the future of our companies on the memory of a friend?"

Silence, and then, "Yes."

No one said anything, the silence was so thick that I could hear my heart banging eagerly against my chest. In less than ten minutes, he had silenced all of their complaints so easily.

He was amazing.

"Sakana-san, if you would, please," he gestured to the projector, handing me a small remote. After turning it on, I walked over and dimmed the lights. All heads turned to the screen at the wall on the other side of the room - displayed was a dizzying chart of numbers and phrases I could never understand, but Minamino described it with ease:

"As you can see, the estimated profits for the next ten years are all exponentially higher than the loans I had given you. If you're worried about paying me back, we could talk one-on-one about it privately," He gestured at me, and I clicked the button to go to the next slide, "And here you see a comparison of Hatanaka Corporation's profits along side our leading competitors... obviously, there are no worries there." There were a few nervous chuckles as we went through the presentation - each slide showed one of _their_ companies in comparison... there was a part of me that thought that Minamino was trying to intimidate them... like, _"Go against me, and just guess what'll happen."_

He was... dangerous.

"I'm sure you're all already aware, but our contracts _were_ legally binding. In the long run, dissolving them could put you in some trouble financially. But that is your decision."

I looked around the room, trying to read their faces like Minamino more than likely could. They all seemed angry, cornered. I felt bad for them. But not bad enough to ignore how... how in _awe_ I was with Minamino. He had taken away any argument they could have had, and then further pushed them down by showing them how minuscule their companies were to his.

Minamino stood up, gathering some papers before saying, "I'll leave you to discuss amongst yourselves," then he looked at me, "Sakana-san, if you would stay here and show them the way out when they're finished."

"Yes, sir," I bowed as he exited, but tried not to frown. I wasn't expecting to be alone with these old men. He knew how ditzy I was, so why would he leave me here?

A balding man with a round stomach lit a cigarette, "Feh. He's nothing like his ol' man."

"Yes, well, that's a good thing for his company," another said.

The balding man rolled his eyes, "If you say so. I don't trust him," He waved me over, "Girl, what do you think about him?"

_Do not speak,_ Minamino had said to me. _Make do with smiles and nods._ Was I supposed to smile? Or nod? Slightly panicked, I bowed, "He is a very capable president."

"He's too young," a snort, "doesn't understand that this isn't a game. Looks as us like we're tools." This guys attitude irked me. Minamino didn't deserve this kind of talk, especially behind his back.

"With all due respect, sir," I started, deciding to forget being polite. "That is how _you_ look at _him_." At the stunned silence, I turned, "I trust you can find your own way out, sir." and slammed the door on the way out.

I was going to get in trouble for that, but I don't care. It's pathetic to talk about someone who works so hard while he's not even listening. Pig.

I pressed the "UP" button on the elevator angrily, muttering to myself as the doors opened.

"Oh, that was quicker than I expected, " Minamino leaned against the back wall of the elevator, his eyes gleaming with pure amusement "Though, I should know by now that you're not one to follow my expectations," he muttered, letting out a small laugh.

I narrowed my eyes, stepped into the elevator, and pouted, "You expect me to believe you planned that?" Though I had no doubt that he had - he had used my emotions just like he had used Kaitou's presence.

He was amazing. And dangerous. And so infuriatingly clever.

"As I said, you're not one to follow my expectations," He repeated, but I knew he was lying. He had used me, but for some reason it didn't bother me at all. A part of me wanted to be used by him. I don't understand myself sometimes.

"How did you know they were going to try to use Kaitou-san as an example?"

"They're predictable. They had no real reason to withdrawal, and figured that I had bought Kaitou's company out. They were just scared that I would overtake them." His voice was so cut and matter-of-fact, that I felt myself frowning.

"I've only been working here a few days, Minamino-san," I studied his face as carefully as I could while I said this, "But I know you well enough to know that you _do_ plan to overtake them. And I'm sure they realize it too."

"What was it Ryuoki-san had said," Minamino muttered, closing his eyes, "That I look at them like they're tools?" Okay, there was no way he could have heard that from inside the elevator, unless he had some crazy hearing aide. Another thing for the list of things I won't ask about.

"They're right." I stated, "You do." _You look at everything like its your tool,_ I wanted to say, _even if you try to hide it. Them, Kasumi, Natsumi_, I looked away from him then, so that he couldn't see the dark, sad look in my eyes, _and... _"You look at me like that, too."

I think I caught him off guard with that. He looked at me, as if asking me to continue, but we were at our floor now so I stepped out of the elevator and didn't say anything else until I was a few steps away from him.

"I support you," I said quickly, "And if you need to use me, you can." My face was hot. I wasn't sure what I was even saying to him, or how he might take it, or what he might do next. All I knew was that I had realized something - Minamino Shuuichi was amazing. He was so... attractive. And not in the_ Oh, he's so good looking _way, but he had this amazing pull to him that I couldn't understand. I didn't want to be away from him.

He made me warm.

"I'm sorry," I whispered to the silence, "I said something pretty strange, didn't I?" I turned slowly to look at his face, not being able to stand the curiosity of his reaction.

There was a light of approval in his eyes as he shook his head slowly, "No, Ran, you didn't," He paused, selecting his next words carefully, "I appreciate and value your support more than you know. I might take you up on that someday."

The cynical part of my brain tried to remind me that he was basically saying '_I might use you someday,'_ But the part of me that still felt like a teenager was ecstatic that I might be of use to him. Someday. Which brought up a pretty interesting question:

"Why me?" I asked.

He knew what I was talking about, I knew he did, but he just smiled and shook his head, "Why you, what?"

I rolled my eyes, "Nothing, Shuuichi."

His smile twitched a little wider, "Ah. You said my name."

"No I d- oh." I whipped my head to the left, blushing. "A slip of the tongue," I muttered, but he just chuckled.

"That reminds me," he started, reaching into his back pocket. He took out his wallet and pulled from it a 2000 yen note, which he held out to me.

I stared at him, my mouth slightly open for a good five seconds before stammering, "What ever happened to sneaking money into my pocket?"

He raised his eyebrows curiously, "I have no idea what you're talking about, Ran. I was just going to give you an advance on your check for all your hard work. Honestly, why would I sneak money into your pockets when I am perfectly capable of handing it to you like this?"

I shook my head, trying not to laugh. He knew that I knew, but also knew that I didn't want to get into his creepy little habits, so he was toying with me. "I suppose you're right, Minamino-san. "

I reached for the money, but he moved his arm before I could grab it and I almost fell, "And here I thought we had made some progress, Ran."

It took me a moment before I realized what he meant. I turned, "Fine, I don't want your money, _Shuuichi."_

I could hear the smile in his voice as he said, "Much better." He held out the money again, and I frowned.

"I was serious, I don't want it. I said I'd let you use me, not train me like a dog." my arms were crossed, and I leaned against my desk facing him. "You can just keep it."

"Alright," he put the money back in his wallet, and then we were just standing there. Staring at each other.

"What now?" I asked, hoping he'd take it as a _what now, work related, _instead of what I was really thinking - _What now, us related._

"I had nothing else planned for the day. I was going to fill out some paperwork, but if you want to go home, Ran, you c-"

"No."

He blinked, "No? I didn't know you enjoyed my company that much."

I ignored his taunt, "I don't want to go home."

His eyes changed from playful to semi-serious, "Everything alright? Anything... happen?"

Any other time, my brain would have processed the strangeness of his last comment, but this was not any other time, "My sister is there."

He let out an amused _"Huh."_ and then shook his head, "You don't like your sister?" He guessed.

I picked myself up and sat on my desk top, gesturing towards my chair. He sat down, and I shrugged, "Its not that I don't like her. I just wasn't prepared to see her again," after he asked why not I proceeded, "When I was about twelve, she ran away. She was like sixteen at the time, and it caused a lot of problems at home. My mother disowned her. Really, she denounced all relation to her - it was in the paper and everything," I was embarrassed just remembering, "Kanae didn't mind, of course. It was what she wanted, the whole reason she ran away. Kanae was... different. She stood out a lot, and she didn't like being tied down by family politics," I looked at him then, "Of course, neither did I, and that's why _I'm_ here."

"It sounds like you and your sister, Kanae was it, have a lot in common. Why wouldn't you want to see her?"

I let out a quick, agitated break through my nose, "Eh. I don't know. Last night was the first time I'd seen her in a couple of years. I don't know how she even found me, considering no one from home talks to her. I don't even know how she got into my apartment."

"You didn't let her in?"

"No, she was just sitting at my table when I walked in. My door was locked and everything - I know, I've been locking it before I leave every day since -"

_Since you broke into my house. _I didn't say it, but I eyed him pointedly, getting only slightly annoyed when he laughed. "Maybe you forgot?"

"I might have, but I don't think so." I was still frowning, "She started talking to be about the family last night, asking questions, and then she said she wanted to go to sleep," this meant that I had slept on the small loveseat in my living room. That was not comfortable at all. "I know she's going to start it all back up when I get back from work. So, I don't know. I could help you with that paperwork, or something..." my tone was hopeful, but not too expecting.

"There are a few things you could help me with, I'm sure-"

I didn't get to hear what I could help him with because at that moment the elevator dinged open and my entire body grew unbelievably cold - like there was no warmth left in the entire world. My heart felt like it had sunken into my chest, and I was desperately trying to figure out the reason _why._

"Kurama," he said as way of acknowledgement. He gave off a dark, cold feeling that I couldn't even begin to explain. Even though he was shorter than me, I felt as if he were towering over me. His black hair spiked in all directions, white streaks shooting out from under his headband. He wore a black cloak, and a white scarf slung loosely around his neck.

The most striking were his eyes - deep and red. They were harsh looking, but at the same time seemed so..._hot._ Like He could catch me on fire just by looking at me. No human could have eyes like that.

"Hiei," Minamino commented, "A surprise to see you using the elevator." he didn't seem to feel the way I did about this man, but that might just be because they seemed to know each other. Just like the ramen peddler Yusuke, this "Hiei" called him by that name - Kurama. What it meant, I had no idea, but I was starting to wonder about the company my boss kept.

"I sensed something strange," The red eyes flashed in my direction for a brief second as he seemed to be reading into the situation, "So I was following it. It lead me here."

Minamino nodded at him then, very deliberately "Yes, well... " he trailed off, looking at me then. He must have noticed the shivering in my body, and offered a solution, "If you would please go get us some tea, Ran."

I nodded, more than happy to get away from the stranger, Hiei. "Yes, Minamino-san," I was worried to leave him alone with that... whatever he was, because I doubted he could sense what I had. If I left them alone, would he still be in one piece when I got back?

"We can talk in my office, Hiei," he offered as I walked past Hiei and into the elevator, "I can fill you in from there."

Hiei said nothing but followed Minamino into his office. I heard the _click_ of the lock turning as the elevator closed, and wondered, briefly, what he was hiding.

But then I remembered that I didn't want to know anything about _anything_ Minamino was hiding. This creepy guy Hiei more than proved that - if they were so chummy and Hiei could give off an... energy like _that._.. I shudder to think what else lay down that path.

Energy. I guess that had to be what that cold feeling was. Hiei's energy was so overpoweringly substantial that, unlike the other chills I had felt, I could tell it was coming directly from him. But why? Sure, he looked a little scary and he wore mostly black, but he was still a human.

Wasn't he?

When I returned with two canned teas, which I paid for out of my own pocket by the way, Hiei was gone. Minamino apologized for making me go and get unnecessary tea, but I was hardly paying attention. I was trying to figure out _how_ he had left. The vending machine was right next to the elevator, and I would have noticed if it had opened. And the elevator was the only way to get to the top office.

Then I noticed - The window in Minamino's office was open.

I told Minamino I would be going home, after all.

I decided I didn't want to know.

* * *

><p>I unlocked my door to find my sister, Kanae, watching TV and drinking my orange Ramune. I frowned at her, hoping to portray through angry glares that my Ramune was <em>my Ramune.<em> But instead she just turned her head and said hello.

Kanae's black hair reached down past her shoulders, but today she held it in a tight bun. She wore long pajama pants and a black wife beater, _my_ pajama pants and wife beater.

"Just make yourself at home, _Onee-chan_," I said in a sweet voice, tossing my purse to the ground, "There better be some Ramune left, or there will be blood."

She snorted, "There's a few bottles behind the mountain of instant noodles," After I grabbed one and slammed the refrigerator shut she asked, "Rough day?"

I rolled my eyes, taking a few moments to kick off my shoes and let my hair down before plopping down next to her on the love seat. I was hoping she would forget she had even asked the question before I has sat down, but she was still looking at me expectantly, "No," I finally said, "And that's what's frustrating about it. He's basically paying me there for sitting there and looking pretty."

"Doesn't sound like a bad job. Sign me up," we laughed for a moment and then she continued, "What do you do, anyway?"

I realized I hadn't told her anything about my job an I had already started complaining about it to her, "I'm the personal assistant of Minamino Shuuichi."

She whistled. "Hatanaka Corporation, huh. _Personal Assistant, _huh."

I slapped her knee, sighing, "Everyone seems to think that its like _that, _but its not like that," I'm sure she heard the disappointment in my voice, but she didn't comment on it.

"Well, maybe he just doesn't feel right letting you do a lot of work, since you're his new assistant. You could try and contact his last one, and see if they have any tips."

I shook my head, grabbing the remote and changing the channel. I was tired of gooey romances, and wanted something... mindless. I settled with an anime. "I'm the first assistant he's had," I muttered.

She raised her eyebrows, interested, "And how did you manage _that?"_

I moved uncomfortably, rubbing my neck, "I don't know. He never really explained it, but maybe he thinks I have a nice personality."

"Right. Or he just appreciates your..." she looked down at my chest, "_assets."_

"I don't know if you've noticed, but I don't really have any ... _Assets."_

"Anyway, if he's not really giving you anything to do, its probably because he doesn't know _what_ to give you. Some mindless paperwork here and there, sure, but he's never had a personal assistant before, right? Just give him time."

"Time, right," I stood then, walking over to the large window which overlooked the street below. I didn't want to give him _time_. I wanted to ... I wanted to...

I didn't even know what I wanted to do.

Kanae sighed, "Mom called me."

I was so stunned to hear this that I dropped my Ramune on the floor. I cursed, grabbing some paper towels from the kitchen and trying not to step in my mess. Mom, calling Kanae? Impossible. My mother was all about appearances - she had publicly disowned Kanae, and her pride would never let her take her back. "Why?" I had so many questions, but could only voice one.

"She set up an _omai_ for me. She seems to think that I might have _learned my lesson_ from being on my own all this time. She wanted me to go back to _civilized society._"

I rolled my eyes. Okay, that sounded like Mom alright. "So, who's the lucky guy?"

"Don't know, don't care. I told her to fuck off."

I cringed, "That's a little harsh," I muttered, throwing the now soaking paper towel into the trash.

"Well, she was right, I _had_ learned my lesson - there's more to life than being some trophy wife. "

There was a stoic silence before I asked, "Where have you been all these years?"

"Oh, I traveled a lot. Here, there... I just didn't want to go back home. I was surprised to hear you had come to the city. No offense, but mom kind of made it sound like you were going to settle down immediately with whoever she chose, like the Golden Girl of the family."

I snorted, "She tried that. I didn't want to marry anyone. I told her that I needed awhile to get my head straight about some things before I could even _think_ about marriage."

"And she allowed that?"

"Not entirely. There are... restrictions. "

Kanae sighed, getting off of the couch to grab another Ramune. "Let me guess. A weekly call, no dating. No shaming the family name, no going to places that could give you a bad reputation. No standing out."

I chuckled, "That's about what she said verbatim. No dating especially," I frowned when Shuuichi's face popped into my head.

Kanae shook her head, letting out a small laugh, "She tried the same with me, but after I stopped calling her, or answering her calls, she got testy. Thats when I decided that I needed to _really_ get out on my own. To stop giving her control over me," she stared at me pointedly, and I let that sink in.

"She doesn't control me, Kanae."

"She told me you hadn't been answering her calls. She thought I had _gotten to you." _she snorted, lighting a cigarette, "Whatever that means."

I furrowed my brows, "She hasn't called me in awhile, Kanae, so I can't answer her if she-"

OH SHIT.

I bashed my face against my palm several times. Oh, man, how stupid was I? Of course she had been calling me - of course I hadn't been answering her - I had a different cell phone now! And I hadn't told her - she must think I was doing it on purpose or something. "My cell phone was tragically destroyed. I forgot to call her and tell her my new number!"

A blast of smoke shot through the front of my sisters cigarette as she snorted again. I really wanted to tell her not to smoke in my apartment. It smelled, "I thought it was something like that." She sounded sort of... disappointed.

I reached for purse, grabbing my cell phone out of it. "I have to call her," I muttered.

"Why?" Kanae was glaring at me, a cold stare. "Why does it matter, Ran? You're out on your own, taking care of yourself. She doesn't even send you money anymore, does she?"

She was right about that last part but, "It doesn't matter. I still have to."

She sighed, "You shouldn't let her control you, Ran. You're a grown ass woman."

I sighed, too, "She just... she's easier to handle when she thinks she's in control."

"When she _think's_ she's in control? Ran, look at yourself. She _is_ in control of you."

"That's not true!" I almost-yelled, "She's my mother, it's how a daughter is supposed to act!"

"Did she tell you that?"

I cringed. _Yes. She did tell me that a daughter is supposed to call and listen to her mom, but that was common sense. _"No," I lied.

"Right. Ran. A mother's control only goes so far. You left the house, you take care of yourself, what has she done to deserve being able to control you?"

"_She doesn't control me._ Now shut _up, _it's ringing."

Kanae rolled her eyes, walking to the other room.

"Hello?" A quiet voice called behind the phone. I was surprised for a second, and then realized it was my little brother.

"Hiro?" I asked, "Is _Oka-san_ there?"

"Who is this?" He questioned, "I'm not supposed to talk to strangers!"

I rubbed my temples. _I haven't been gone that long, I'm your sister._ "It's Ran, Hiro."

"_Onee-san?_" He asked, but then there was a ruffled noise and his voice was replaced with another one:

"Ran, is that you?"

I could hear her anger already, "Yes, Ma'am." I squeaked.

"I told you to answer your phone, _why haven't you answered your phone?_ And what number are you calling from, this isn't the phone I bought you. Where are you? Who are you with?"

"I'm at home, Mother," I smiled wearily into the receiver, "I'm sorry to say that my cell phone was... laid to rest. This is my new number, and I apologize for not getting it to you sooner."

"You have absolutely no reason to avoid me, Ran, and I'm hurt that you would."

"I wasn't _avoiding _you, Mom, I was -"

"- and we had agreed that you would _keep in touch, _and I am _heartbroken_ that you would even think to do this to me. I was worried _sick._"

"I'm sorry." I whispered.

"I'm sorry, _what?"_

"I'm sorry, Ma'am."

"You had better be, young lady, or I might think twice about letting you frolic around in the city without any supervision. Really, Ran, you had better not be going to those - those- _manga_ cafes, or those _host _clubs -"

"No, Mother," I laughed a bit, "I've been way too busy for that... I... I got a job."

Silence and then, "Doing _what_?"

"I'm a..." I thought about how I would word this, since everyone took my position the wrong way, "I'm an office assistant. At Hatanaka Corporation. You know them, Mother. That nice man came and delivered the television you bought from one of their stores."

"Ah, yes. I remember."

"Well, I do paperwork and stuff, and help my... boss with his work, as well. It's a _really_ good job, Mother."

She muttered something I couldn't hear, and then said "I will call you in the morning, and you had better answer me Ran."

"Yes," I accepted.

"You know what I expect of you."

"Yes," I was suddenly preoccupied with staring at the wood grain of my floor. "I love you, Mother."

"I love you, too." _Click._

I slowly removed the cell phone from my ear and stared at it for awhile. Kanae was leaning against the wall, studying me carefully. "Feel better?"

"No," I said, standing. I felt empty. "I'm going to bed."

"Bed - " Kanae turned as I walked past her " - but it's like _four-"_ The slam of my door cut her off. _She can sleep on the loveseat tonight_, I thought as I locked my door. I started undressing, peeling away layer after layer of clothing, like shedding my problems and dropping them to the floor. Eventually, I'd have to pick them up again, but I wouldn't just yet.

It wasn't until I noticed a 2000 yen note amongst the pile of clothes that I started crying.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:<strong> -Big, theatrical sigh- Good God. Here it is - Chapter Six. I honestly thought I would never get it done for a second there, but I did. Somehow, I got through it.

In this chapter, you get to meet two characters - Ran's sister, Kanae Sakana, and our loveable Hiei -

Whom _Kajihenge Yoko _**still**hasn't portrayed naked.

If I didn't know better, I'd say she hated me! D:

So, Ran's starting to realize that what she's been feeling is some kind of energy - thanks to Hiei flaunting his - but I wonder what she'll make of this. She's been trying to hard to be normal, and this might just ruin those plans completely.

_Omai =_ Arranged wedding

_Onee-chan/Onee-san = _Sister

_Oka-san =_ Mother

And, sorry that it took so long, Demee. I'll try to get the next one out sooner, 'kay?


	7. Do what now?

I had woken up about an hour earlier than I usually did so that I could make sure I got Mother's call before I left. Kanae had spent the night on the loveseat, and I kind of felt bad watching her gaze on me as I stared at my phone waiting for the call. I couldn't help it. I didn't want to disappoint Mother.

After her call, which consisted of her telling me not to shame the family name, and her asking me if I was still _chaste_ a few times, I decided to leave for work a little early. I had decided to wear black slacks today instead of a skirt, and went with just a white blouse. It was a still pretty hot outside, though Autumn was coming, and all the layers I usually wore wouldn't even seem partially practical today.

I made my way to a raised crosswalk which overlooked the street from a good distance, and leaned against the railing. I looked down, a little disturbed when I thought about how it would feel to fall from this height. Surely, I'd die.

Now, I try not to sound like an angst-ridden teenager, especially since I'm already twenty, but there was a time when I would have gladly dropped from this height - but in Kyoto, thankfully, there were no great heights to jump from. None that would kill you, anyway.

Yet, depressed as I had felt when I left my apartment this morning , I couldn't even entertain the thought of actually jumping anymore. Things were finally looking up. Sort of. Of course, every time I talked to my mom, I had to remember that this freedom was going to be temporary. Eventually, I'll have to settle down and marry some home-town bumpkin, have a bunch of kids, and be just like my mom.

I couldn't help but remember Kanae telling me to rebel - about how I let Mother control me, even from all the way over here. I knew she was right, but her and I were different people -

Kanae had a backbone.

The light breeze was a welcome one, but was not the coolness I was looking for. I wanted to feel the chills that I had been feeling for the last few days - the bone-chilling, heart-hammering, hope-destroying freezing wind, the one which reverberated through my very spine. As hard as I tried to _force_ my body to feel the cold energy, nothing came.

I cursed under my breath. Okay. When I didn't want to feel it, it was there. When I wanted to feel it, nothing. That had to be the most annoying thing in the whole world, right there. I took a deep breath, trying to remember how I had felt when Hiei had stepped through the elevator.

I had felt... _devastated._ My insides felt like they had been frozen and then torn apart. I don't think I could mimic that feeling just by trying - I'd have to find the real thing again. But I had no desire to track this 'Hiei' down and have him stand around for awhile. He looked like he would kill me.

I wanted to try and figure out what this was I was feeling. Something strange was happening to me, to my body, and I wanted to find out _why_. Before, I had just wanted to ignore it, but after yesterday, after how _intense_ of a feeling I got from Hiei, I knew that I had to figure out what was going on.

I felt like I was in some kind of danger. The incident with the elevator, and now Hiei... Something was just wrong.

I took a deep breath, trying to figure out how I could _make_ this happen. I closed my eyes, trying to... I don't know, open my pores? To the cold, that is. I stiffened my whole body, biting the inside of my mouth in concentration.

I felt it - the chilling wind. I opened my eyes, an involuntary action. I leaned almost over the railing, trying to see if I could find the source of the outbreak - but all I saw were people.

I tried concentrating, like I had in the elevator. I strained my eyes, and started to see bluish white fibers traveling from the people below me into the sky - I looked up then, in awe. The entire sky seemed to be shining with whatever I was sensing. But it didn't feel like the bad kind of cold - it was welcoming, inviting. I looked down at my hands - I could see if coming off of me, too, drifting off of my body like a white smoke.

Okay, this was freaky. But also very, very awesome looking. What _was _this? I started walking to work then, still looking down at my hands. I wasn't really paying attention to where I was going until I stepped onto the street and saw him there - much to my surprise.

He was leaned against a slick, black car - I was a little surprised to see that he had a car, honestly, but then again he was full of surprises. He looked a little angry when our eyes met, and before I could even ask him why he was _here_ and not at the office, he strode forward and grabbed my wrist, pulling me towards his car. After he opened the backdoor, he basically tossed me in and closed the door. I went to open it, and noticed that it was already locked. Before I could un-lock it, he slid into the driver's seat and took off.

When I caught my breath, I glared at him. "What. The hell," I leaned forward, peaking through the middle of the seats. "Is going on here, Shuuichi?"

Shuuichi looked preoccupied when he muttered, "Actually, I'd like to know that myself." He looked back at me momentarily and then added, "Please put your seat belt on, Ran."

I didn't, but continued, "Are you kidnapping me or something?" My heart was pounding - what had be been doing, watching me? How did he know where I was?

"No," although he still looked aggravated, he managed a small laugh, "Please, Ran, just be quiet." The words made me feel like a little kid - I slammed my back against the seat and crossed my arms. Fine. I could act like a kid.

But I had never really ridden in many cars, so I wasn't still for long - I had crawled to the window on the other side of the car, looking up at the passing buildings in awe. We were going faster than I thought was possible in the city - I had always just seen cars crawl slowly on the people-filled road, but for Shuuichi even the masses got out of his way.

We swirled up to the top floor of a parking garage next to a large, tan apartment building. I could tell that it was a fancy set of apartments as soon as I saw it - mainly because it was so _tall_. The windows were all large and the building didn't look like it was going to fall apart (unlike my _own_...)

When the car was parked, and we were standing in the garage, I opened my mouth, "Okay, where are we?"

"My apartment complex."

"Okay," I repeated, and then asked, "_Why?"_

He smiled at me, using the trademark _I'm-going-to-ignore-your-question-and-seduce-you-into-compliance_ look, "I just thought it would be a better place to talk than in the middle of the street. Follow me, if you would."

For a second, I didn't. I just stood there. But the part of me that wasn't afraid to follow him _anywhere_ told me feet to move and they complied. There was a connected hallway from the parking garage to the apartment complex, adding to the _richer than thou_ feeling I was getting from the whole place.

"So when do we start talking?" I asked as we moved down a flight of stairs, "Because we're going to be late for work in about three seconds."

"Ran, it's Sunday."

"So?"

He didn't say anything, but stopped in front of a door and slid a key in. Cold air whooshed out at us from inside, and it was about at that second I realized, with panic, that I was about to set foot into Shuuichi's apartment.

He gestured at me from the other side to come in, and I hesitatingly crossed the threshold. From a brief look around, I could already tell that his apartment was at _least _twice the size of my own. But it was a bit dark, so I had to adjust my eyes accordingly. The whole place smelled like him - which didn't surprise me, but the fact that I knew what he smelled like did.

"Well, Ran. Do you want something to drink?" He asked it pleasantly enough, but I could tell he was still annoyed. I wonder what I did.

Instead of answering him, I gave him a few questions of my own, "How did you know where I was? Why did you just - kidnap me? _And why aren't you at the office?"_

He chuckled lightly, "Ran, it's Sunday. I have some tea already made. Sit down. " he gestured to the stools under the bar to his kitchen. Obediently, I pulled one out and sat down. I wasn't sure _why_ I was being obedient. I _should_ be running down the hall of his apartment complex, screaming. As he poured two cups of tea, my eyes traveled around the room. His apartment was big, but empty. And dark. Typical bachelor pad. "Did you not know that the office was closed on Sundays?"

I shook my head as he set the cup in front of me. It was a white, rounded cup, and I couldn't help but notice how perfectly it fit in my hands. In a small voice, I replied, "I didn't even know today was Sunday."

He laughed, leaning against the other side of the bar. "What would you have done when you got there and the doors were locked?"

"Panic," I snorted, "And then remember that your window is unlocked." The tea was very flavorful - sweet, even though it didn't taste like it was sweetened with sugar. Honey? If so, not much. "This tea is very good," I commented.

"Thank you," he set his glass down, empty, and then met my stare, "Ran. What did you do?"

I couldn't help but sigh at the look he was giving me - like he was preparing to scold me. "I don't know. I really don't." It was mostly the truth, "But now that I know that whatever is happening to _me_ is probably connected to whatever_ you _have going on, I don't even want to know."

"And what _is_ happening to you?" he asked, ignoring my obvious desire to drop it. I sighed again, wishing he had offered me food instead of tea.

"I don't know."

His tone was impatient now, "You could try and explain."

"I could," I looked away, not wanting to see him angry at me. I felt strange, being around him while we weren't in the office. "But I'd rather not relive the whole _kidnapping _thing," _I mean, seriously, Shuuichi. First you break into my house while I'm sleeping, and now you have me kidnapped? Next thing, you're going to rob a bank or something._

"You're being difficult today, Ran."

_Was I?_ Part of me felt bad, since I _was_ being a little difficult, but I had just been kidnapped. I should be calling the police. _And tell them what, exactly, _I asked myself, _That you had seen some pretty lights and then your boss abducted you? _Ah, and he was my boss. I still wanted my job. Would he fire me over this? I pressed my head against his counter, "Okay. What do you want to know?"

He seemed amused that I would give in so easily, "Just start with what you were doing when I ... found you."

"That's kind of hard," I said after a moment, "That's like starting in the middle of the story."

A chuckle, "Then how about you start from the beginning?"

I pressed my lips together, knowing that I had failed in my goal to ignore whatever was going on completely. These past few days of silence started pouring out of my mouth - I told him everything; The cold wind, the elevator, the way I felt when I first saw Hiei - and then this morning, how I had decided to try and figure out what was happening to me. I told him about the light coming off of all the people in the street, off of me. It wasn't until I was done that I realized how scared I had been - how much I needed to tell this to _someone, anyone._ Now that my secret was out, I could breathe a little better.

As my story went on, Shuuichi's eyes got lighter, more curious, "I see. Ran, what you saw on the crosswalk is what we call _spirit energy._ It exists in all humans - though there are a handful of people, like yourself, who possess a vast amount, and can sense things, such as ghosts, and the spirit energy of other people. And demons," before I could even _begin_ to take this all in, he continued, "It is an impressive feat for you to be able to see the spirit energy of normal humans so well, especially since your psychic abilities are just developing. Usually, you would only be able to sense the spirit energy of those who have an excess amount of it surrounding them, " he seemed to be thinking of someone in particular when he said this.

I couldn't say anything for a long time. I just kind of sat there, trying to work all of this through my brain. "So, the cold feeling I've been feeling is... spirit energy?"

He seemed to be considering something before he answered, "That... depends. You said that the energy you felt at the crosswalk was different than any energy you had felt before, right?"

I nodded. "It wasn't as...scary. It felt..." I tried to find a word that made sense, but I couldn't. "It was cold, but warm. It kind of felt... like," I let out an exasperated breath, "like it was natural, like home."

"Like home," he smiled lightly, "but the other energy you had felt before wasn't. I believe you had been feeling demon energy, Ran."

I shivered, "Demons..." I frowned, trying to imagine it, "demons can't be real." my voice was calmer than I thought it could be.

His eyes were kind, "Sadly... sometimes life hides things from us. The existence of demons is hidden from the normal populace, but there are people who know. Like me, like Hiei," he considered for a moment before saying, "Kasumi, and Natsumi."

I felt my eyes twitch, "Are they... psychic too?"

Shuuichi ignored my question, "I understand that this is a lot to deal with just out of the blue like this, Ran. I didn't want you to have to find out," _at all, _ his eyes seemed to say, "But it was bound to happen eventually."

I was quiet. I just couldn't process any of this.

"Ran..." He started, "I hate to ask you this, but do you think you could show me?"

I blinked. "Show you what?"

"What you were doing, before I came and got you."

I'm sure he could tell by the look on my face that I wasn't thrilled with his request, "_why?"_

"Please, Ran."

I almost turned him down, but the look in his eyes told me that there would be no discussion. I took a deep breath, conceding. "Alright." I muttered, closing my eyes. I tried to remember how I had felt on the crosswalk, how I had opened myself to feeling the cold - err, energy. It kind of reminded me of sun bathing - absorbing the energy from the Sun and whatnot. I guess this was kind of like absorbing energy from around me, and -

"That's enough," his voice was kind of rough, and when I opened my eyes to look at him, I was taken aback at the dark look in his eyes, and the way his lips were pursed in a tight, thin line, "Never do that again, Ran, not unless I am with you. Do you understand?"

I shrunk at the harshness of his words, "Y-yes, Minamino-san."

"This was the first time you had done this?"

"Yes, Minamino-san."

"Good." he smiled slightly.

I was almost scared to speak, "Why?" I whispered. "I mean, I have no plans to do it again anyways, but why were you so... upset about it?"

"I wasn't upset, Ran," he said carefully, "It's just... Ran, when you were trying to sense energy, you were drawing it to you, instead. Like a magnet. At the center of all of the gathering energy is you."

I nodded, "I ... can understand that. But, why is that bad?"

He seemed to be thinking of the best way to say this, "Ran, some demons... eat humans. The more spirit energy a human has, the more a demon can absorb from devouring it. Now, if you were a demon and you happened to come across a human with a mass of spirit energy surrounding her, what would you do?"

My stomach flipped. "Eat her?" I mumbled.

He nodded briskly, "If I hadn't been there, if I hadn't found you, a demon would have , and... Well, I'll leave you to guess the rest."

I gulped. I was _that close_ to being demon food? Not that I believed in demons just yet, but... The concept alone was freaking me out. "I think... I think I'm done talking about this, Minamino-san."

He nodded slowly, "I understand. Ran, if anything happens, call me immediately."

I narrowed my eyes, "Huh. You know, you've been telling me that since I've _met_ you - just how long have you known about my..." I struggled to find a word, "... ability?"

He shrugged lightly, "It's easier to tell if humans are psychic the more used to it you are. You'll understand eventually."

I was still frowning, "I don't really _want_ to understand. I just want to forget any of this happened ever."

He seemed to be thinking deeply for a moment, "If that's what you really want, Ran... it can be arranged."

My eyes widened, "What do you..." the second I understood what he was saying, I shook my head, "No, no. I might have said it, but I didn't want it. I don't want to forget anything - I -"

"It's okay, Ran," he said quietly, "Just know that the choice is there, if you want it."

Neither of us said anything, so I started to study him. His eyes were more curious than anything - I had to wonder what else he was hiding from me. Because I knew he was. He wasn't the kind of person to lay all of his cards on the table at once.

"Do you have a restroom?" I asked after a moment or two.

"Down the hall, its the door to the left." He grabbed my cup, "Would you like some more tea?"

"Yes, please," I pushed back from the bar, intending to slide the stool out so I could get out easier, but instead fell backwards. I let out a small gasp as I hit the ground, knocking my head on the wood floor. I could tell by how hard it felt against my skull that this was real wood, too. Rich bastard. I was seeing spots as tried to calm my reeling head.

"Are you alright?" Shuuichi was leaning over the bar, looking down at me. He didn't look very concerned, but more like he was trying not to laugh.

_Just glad I decided not to wear a skirt today._ "Yes, I'm alright." I picked the stool back up, putting it back in place. "I'll, ah, be going to the restroom now." I stumbled into the small room, ignoring the quiet laughter.

The bathroom was all black - which made it look super refined and confirmed his apartment's status as _bachelor pad._ I wasn't sure why I had asked to go to the restroom - I didn't need to use the toilet or fix my hair or anything (Though, I did mess with my hair a little bit in the mirror. Might as well, while I'm here,) I just wanted a break. To breathe. Alone.

Okay. So. I had been sensing spirit energy - fair enough. That, at least, made sense. The energy emitted by humans. I could deal with that. Well, I could deal with the fact that it was possible - I don't know how willing I am to admit that it was possible for _me._ Maybe, like, a trained, talented professional. If there are such things as professionals in this business. It was... plausible. I still didn't want to believe it, but I had experienced it first hand.

But what I couldn't deal with was the existence of demons. That Hiei looked dark and broody enough to think being called a demon was cool or something. But for Shuuichi to go along with that so naturally seemed... off.

_How well do you even know him?_ I questioned myself, _He's a shady character for sure. Breaks into your house, gives you - no, kind of forces a job on you - which might make more sense, if he wanted to keep an eye on you - and how he basically kidnapped you off the street! _

_And the strangest part, _ I was reminded, _was that when I was showing him how I had tried to sense spirit energy, I hadn't sensed any from him._

So let's put two and two together. Hiei is a ... probably a demon, considering the _cold _energy came from him.. He can, most likely, jump from Shuuichi's window, and live. His energy is cold and overwhelming. It is like being shot through the stomach with ice.

Shuuichi is... amazingly brilliant. He can plan so far ahead that it leaves me dizzy. He can slip money into my pocket without me even noticing. He, like Hiei, can jump through a twenty-something-story window.

Maybe I _should_ let him erase my memory. Save me the headache. Ugh, and this was quite the headache. I didn't want to get involved in this. I just wanted to live in the city, away from my family, the _omai _I will inevitably face, I just wanted to be content and alone.

Not psychic, and, and... whatever else I was.

After taking a few more deep breaths, I opened the door to the bathroom slightly and then peeked out into the hallway. I could hear him fiddling with dishes in the kitchen, and fleetingly wondered amazingly at the fact that he was so _clean._ I mean, his office was kind of messy, so I expected his apartment to be a little messy as well. But there was nothing but some furnishings. As I walked back towards the kitchen, a few photographs on a shelf caught my attention. One was of him and three other people - a dark haired, beautiful woman, a man holding her hand, and another boy who was shorter than Shuuichi. The woman looked a bit like Shuuichi, but the other two did not. _That must be his family, _I realized, _his step-father and step-brother._

The other picture I saw was of a group of people - I saw Shuuichi smiling, standing in the back. In front of him was Hiei, looking to the left, and beside him was an orange haired boy, holding up a hand and grinning widely. Then there was a girl, with brown hair and eyes, looking kindly at the camera, being held by another girl with what must have been dyed blue hair. And then there was the person in front, with slicked back hair, pointing his fingers at the camera like a gun - I had seen him from somewhere, but I couldn't place it. It was recently, though. Somewhere in the city - _oh._ It was that ramen peddler - what was his name - Yosuke? Yusuke? Something. That girl, I realized, was the pregnant one who had been with him at the time.

They all looked rather young in the picture, I thought, noting the orange-haired boy's blue uniform. So is that what Shuuichi looked like in middle school? I couldn't notice much of a difference - he didn't look any older now. But I had never seen him smile like that, not since I had known him anyway. The thought made my stomach flip, and I wondered how happy Shuuichi really was with the life he had. I mean, owner of a multimillion company by day, possible Spiderman by night? Must be stressful.

So Hiei and that Ramen guy knew each other? In the picture, Hiei almost looked like a decent...ah, demon-being, albeit a little shy. But even he had a few friends. Well, they could all be demons or something, aside from Shuuichi. Sure, he could jump like Hiei, and I couldn't sense his energy, but maybe he was just a... really athletic psychic, or something.

When I made my way back to the other room, I had noticed that Shuuichi had already poured another cup of tea for me. It was resting on the bar, and fits of steam rose from it. _oh, whoops. I guess he had to make another pot._

Shuuichi was sipping absentmindedly at his tea, learning against the counter, his legs crossed at the heels, his eyes staring at the fridge, but seeming as if they were really staring a lot farther. Still, I knew he noticed me. He noticed everything. I didn't want to interrupt him, so I sat back down and started sipping at my tea as well. Soon, we were both just sitting there, lost in thought. Most would think the silence unnerving, and usually I would agree, but it felt... nice.

After my mind had calmed down some - not enough to let me simply accept the fact that demons existed and that I was some kind of psychic, but _some_ - I started to think of other things. Such as how strange it was to see Shuuichi outside of the work place. Granted, I had seen him in the _real world_ a few times, but this was different. He was still as sharp looking as ever, but he was dressed down - I daresay his t-shirt could classify as baggy. He wore black pajama pants, and just looking at him made me feel comfortable - It also made me wonder if he had been asleep before he picked me up.

Which brought up another question of mine, "What now?" I asked, daring to break the peaceful silence.

"_What now_, in terms of this moment, or your abilities?" On the inside, I laughed. Yesterday, when I had asked the same question, I had a similar thought in my mind (What now, work related, or _us_ related?) but today the meaning was completely different.

I paused before answering, "both."

With a sigh, he set his tea cup down and finally looked at me. "I feel it would be in your best interests not to pursue your power. Perhaps learn enough to control it, but I don't suggest using it. These are... trying times. It's not as safe to be a young psychic as it used to be - demons wanting to cross through the worlds tend to use them as a doorway... or as food."

"... worlds?" I asked, confused.

He glanced at me for a moment, like he had to remember that I didn't know everything he did, "A lesson for another time. As for _what now_ in relation to this moment... well. If you allow me some time to get properly dressed, we could go get something to eat. I figure you might have some questions as well."

My neck grew hot, "I... would like that," though, he was assuming I had questions, I was just happy to be able to spend the day with him.

"Excellent," he twitched a smile, "If you would wait here while I get ready, Ran." And then I watched him move down the hallway into the last door on the opposite side to the bathroom. _His bedroom,_ of course.

It hadn't even been thirty seconds since he went into his room before his front door opened - in stepped the dark haired woman I has seen in the photograph, though she looked a little older now than in the frame. "Shuuichi?" she called as she stepped in - and then she spotted me. She said nothing, but there was a surprised look on her face... and, if I wasn't mistaken, a hint of embarrassment. Oh jeez.

"Uhm, hi," I said meekly, fiddling with my cup. "He's getting dressed." Damn the internal facepalm the second the words crossed my lips! _Getting dressed_, like he was naked before. I should have said _getting ready._ I'm sure she knew what I meant, there was no way she couldn't understand. _Way to go, Ran. Humiliate yourself in front of his mom before she can even take her coat off._

"Oh," she smiled, stepping closer. "I didn't think before coming in, I didn't realize I might be interrupting anything. I'm Shiori - Shuuichi Minamino is my son." She said the last bit with a lot of pride in her voice, and I couldn't blame her.

"I'm Sakana Ran - you weren't interrupting anything, Shiori-san. Just, ah," I bit my lip, "Discussing business over a cup of tea."

She smiled kindly, but I don't think she believed me.

So I was beginning to think that I must seem like a slut to everyone around me, considering their first idea when it came to me and Shuuichi was that we were having sex. Or maybe they thought _he_ was a slut. I don't know, don't care, but it was starting to get frustrating. Mainly because there was a part of me that wished it were true.

Thankfully, the awkwardness didn't last longer, because Shuuichi emerged from the hallway - he had switched to a button up, short-sleeved white shirt, and black slacks. It didn't feel as formal as he was at work, but he still looked professional. "Hello, mother," he called as he saw her, not sounding surprised to see her, "I take it you've met Ran?"

I'm sure both his mother's and my eyes widened in curiosity at the lack of honorific at the end of my name - I had gotten used to him calling me Ran when we were alone, but not around others. My eyes narrowed slightly. Call me psychic, but I didn't like where this was going.

"Yes, I have. You didn't tell me your girlfriend would be joining us for lunch," she smiled at me again, and I couldn't help but hope I had heard her wrong - on both the _girlfriend_ and the _joining us for lunch _thing.

I had to clear this up immediately, to avoid further awkwardness, "I'm not -"

"Yes, I hope this isn't that unpleasant of a surprise, mother," Shuuichi's eyes met mine as he said this, and I shrunk back. _I _didn't really _mind_ his mother thinking I was his girlfriend, heck I wouldn't mind _being_ his girlfriend, but there was the small issue of the fact it was a complete and utter fabrication.

"Not at all," Shiori smiled, "I was hoping I would be able to meet her."

"Yes, well," Shuuichi looked down, "I figured today would be a better day than any other." _Smooth way to use the fact I'm not supposed to be here right now anyway. This was probably why he was so agitated when abducted me from the street...I came as he was about to get ready for his mother to show up._

"Yes..." Shiori trailed off. Something in her voice was immeasurably sad, longing... but too fleeting for me to really understand it. I felt like an outsider between these two, and thought that maybe it was my time to leave.

Shuuichi would have none of that, though, as he immediately stared me down before I could open my mouth. Shiori had turned, admiring the same photograph I had been just a few minutes ago, so he took this opportunity to mouth, "_I will explain later," _to me... Just what I didn't want to hear. This day couldn't get crazier.

I resisted a sigh aimed at myself. I _did_ say he could use me. Not that I had expected this. But somehow, I don't think he did, either. He couldn't help that I decided to play psychic and got his attention right before his mother showed up.

"Where do you want to eat, mother?" Shuuichi asked, donning a light black coat.

Shiori _hmm'_ed for a few seconds before turning to me, "How about we let Ran pick?"

"Alright," and then suddenly they were both looking at me.

Now, I've only been in this city for a month or two, and honestly I have no idea where anything is aside from the convenience store right outside my door. Any restaurants I could think of wouldn't be the kind of restaurants that Shuuichi would take his mother to. "A-actually," I fessed up after a few moments of silence, "I'm not really sure about what restaurants are around here..."

Shuuichi, who had probably have known this was going to happen, then smiled, "Actually, I think I know a place."

* * *

><p>So I had been worried that any place I thought of wouldn't be, ah, <em>refined<em> enough for Shuuichi, considering he was probably the richest person within a hundred miles, but in the end I sat on a very familiar stool, staring at a very familiar face, eating a very familiar bowl of pork ramen.

"It's been a long time, Yusuke-kun," Shiori commented, pulling herself away from small talk with Keiko.

Yusuke, who had what felt like a permanent grin plastered on his face, placed another bowl in front of Shuuichi before replying, "It has - you guys used to come here all the time. Makes me lonely, not seeing any familiar faces around here!" Shiori laughed at this, and he seemed pleased.

Keiko, who had been patting her rather large stomach fondly, then looked up sadly, "When will you be entering the hospital, Shiori-san?"

I had been content to sit on the sidelines of the conversation and pick at my ramen, but that made my head snap up. _Hospital?_

Shiori sighed gently, brushing some hair from her face, "Takasu-sensei thinks I should be admitted already - but has allowed me to the end of the month."

I hadn't noticed until then that Shuuichi's hands were curled into fists on his knees. He was clenching them so hard that his knuckles were white, and his hands were shaking. His face, however, was in a perfect, controlled calm. Yusuke stole a worried glance at him, and I knew then that the two men were close enough that Yusuke could see through the calmness, to the obvious pain underneath.

Yusuke, though, didn't hide his deep frown - I could tell that he was the kind of person who wore his emotions proudly, unabashedly, for everyone to see. I respected that. "They haven't found anything?"

"No - " Shiori took a deep sip of her tea, "- No one has any idea why it's suddenly come back - and so fast - but... it has." A bright smile illuminated her face, "I'm not sad about it, not really. I've had a full, wonderful life," she turned to Shuuichi, patting him fondly on the knee, "and a wonderful son, and an amazing family. Everyone leaves sometime, so..."

"Don't talk like that, mother. You got better once, I'm sure..." But, I could tell, for once Shuuichi wasn't sure about anything. At that moment, he looked lost - and that scared me. I knew that something was going on at that moment, something deep and personal. I knew, beyond anything else, that I shouldn't be a part of it. Like so many things around here, I was an outsider.

I hated it.

The rest of the meal was quiet, especially considering the constant humming of the city around us. I think we were all lost in our own thoughts - I, thinking of Shuuichi, Shuuichi, thinking of his mom, I'm sure - Shiori, thinking about... I don't know. Her life? Her son? Probably both. I don't know. My heart started pounding - I could feel that cold wind building up again. I didn't want to deal with it right now. Go away. _Go away._

And, thankfully, it did. Though I'm sure my silent pleading had nothing to do with it. Shuuichi checked his watch, and stood, "I'm sorry to cut this short, mother, but I just remembered that I had to finish some paperwork before noon - I'll have to run to the office. Ran?"

I stood, hurried, bowing, "It was nice to meet you - and it was nice to see you again, Urameshi-san." And I turned to follow Shuuichi's brisk walk - thankfully, his apartment wasn't too far from where Yusuke's cart was parked, and I followed him to the parking garage. He told me to get in his car, and I did. We sat there for a few moments before I asked, "There is no paperwork, is there?"

He chuckled, "No, no there isn't." He didn't sound amused.

"Should I go?"

"Maybe."

So I started to open the door, but instead of stepping out of the car, I looked over at him. He didn't seem like anything was wrong, from the way his face was perfectly calm, and his hands rested calmly on his legs, and he calmly looked back at me - "What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing, Ran."

"You're lying." I said, plainly. "I know it, and Urameshi-san knows it," at the mention of Yusuke's name, his eyes seemed to harden just a bit, "What's bothering you?" After some silence, I added, "You _did_ say you'd explain later. Just going to throw that out there."

"It's nothing, Ran. My mother was sick, got better, and now she's sick again. Somehow," he sighed, "I apologize for dragging you into this, but I thought that if she believed I was... attached to someone, it might set her at ease."

"I told you, you can use me. Just... Explain _first, _please. So I know what to prepare for." I frowned, thinking of the meeting and now this. He just loved throwing me out to the sharks, it seemed. Not that I could blame him on this one - I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time... or maybe the wrong place at the _right _time? I don't know. But I felt just a little closer to him at that moment.

I decided to push it a little.

"Are you?"

"Am I, what?"

"Attached. To anyone, that is." I looked away, focusing on far-off buildings.

"No." The answer was clear, cold, and I could tell he had been asked this question many times. It hurt, a bit, to see how automatic the response was. But I knew he had probably seen it coming, anyway. He had to know that I was attracted to him - at least a little.

After a deep breath, I muttered, "Good. As your fake girlfriend, that would make me horribly, horribly jealous."

A small laugh, which was what I was going for. "I have enough jealousy floating around already - that would be bad."

I snorted, "why am I not surprised?"

"Do you, Ran?"

I blinked, "Do I what?"

"Have anyone that you're attached to?"

"Yes," I said, quickly. I think the absolute determination I had in my voice surprised him.

"Who, if I may ask?"

"I don't know - but, we're attached, by a small red string. Someone, out there. You know," I moved my arms around in some gestures that made no sense, "Fate. And whatnot."

He didn't say anything, so I went on, "There is someone waiting for me, like I am waiting for them. I don't know them now, and they don't know me, but someday, eventually-"

"People die alone, Ran." he said, calmly.

I stopped talking.

"My father died alone, my mother will die alone, I will die alone... you will, too. Dying is a very selfish, lonely act. But everyone does it."

I had nothing to say to that, so I said nothing.

"I'll drive you home, Ran."

When we pulled up to the curb in front of my apartments, I stepped out of the car as soon as it was stopped. Retrieving my bag from the floorboard, I looked him in the eyes and said, "I don't want to die alone, Shuuichi."

"I don't think anyone _wants_ it."

"We could die alone together."

Another small laugh before I shut the car door and he drove away. As his black car headed out of sight, I wondered if he understood that I wasn't making a joke, but then realized that it didn't matter. Shuuichi didn't want to die with someone else - he was perfectly content to live and die all on his own.

I almost didn't want to go to work tomorrow.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: <strong> There is so much in this chapter that I almost cut out, so much that I didn't add, so much that bleeeerrrgh. This chapter feels incomplete, but I needed to get something out to you guys so I could start on the next one (it's a very important chapter for the story!) Kurama was strange this chapter, wasn't he? He was too preoccupied with his own problems to really give Ran any attention, and I think that got her a brief look into his head. I wonder what's wrong with Shiori. Huh.

So Ran has a vague understanding of the real world that she lives in - she's about to get an even better understanding, but not next chapter. No, next chapter isn't going to be about Ran at all...

I know this chapter took awhile to get out. Yeah. I went through some stuff. I work at Wal-Mart now, and as _Kajihenge Yoko _knows, I have no soul anymore. But I'm trying! Gotta get some living situations fixed before I can steadily release chapters again ( I guess you could say that, technically, I am homeless.) but I do have a lot of things planned.

Also, I had a few PMs asking about this, and, YES! I DO accept fan art. I accept SO MUCH FANART. Send any Fan art to my email (Jazy_XIII Yahoo) and I will post it on my profile page for everyone to see 3 Because I love you guys. Hope everything is going better for ya'll than it is for me ... and for Ran. Oh, Ran. Soon the suffering will begin...

_Demee_ - I'm sorry this took so long.

_PancakeRave_ - YOU CAUGHT ME. ; A ;


	8. 僕の妹

I was sitting in my office, like most mornings, shuffling through my papers, like most mornings, waiting for my assistant to show up - like most mornings. And while I confess the "assistant" part is pretty new, nothing has really changed. I still wake up at the same time, still do about the same amount of work as I used to, only now I have to babysit.

It doesn't bother me. At least, I've had to do worse things. And Ran's not that bad of an assistant. She's obedient, and, truly, that is enough. Like a dog, she does everything I say. Yes. That is enough for me.

Today she came in limping. I asked her what was wrong, a little worried she may have gotten attacked on her way to work - though I could tell she hadn't been experimenting with her abilities much, she still had the very potent scent of a psychic on her, so I could never be too careful - and she said she had tripped shortly after entering the building. I shook my head, setting a small smile on my face. "You're clumsy, Ran," I said, knowing that she would believe that she was if I said she was such.

But in reality, I could already smell the scent on her legs, her arms, just _her_. I had a feeling about what happened to her already, and was already planning to take care of it promptly. "Ran, if you could," I started, dismissing the girl to gather some paperwork from Kasumi on the eighth floor (Though I knew Kasumi was on the fifth floor, I still told Ran it was the eighth. She would spend a great deal of time looking for Kasumi, and this way I had plenty of time to deal with... dissidents.) As soon as Ran has stepped out of the office, I picked up my phone and dialed the front desk.

As per my request, Tanaka-san , the temporary secretary, shortly joined me in my office. She took a seat before I gave her leave to, something that bothered me for some reason, most likely because I expected respect from all my employees, and she wasn't showing any. Her skirt was shorter today than it was when she was hired. Oh, I realized. She's one of _those._

"Yes, Minamino-san?"

I started at the end, "You're fired."

She wasn't shocked, and I didn't expect her to be. Instead, she purred, "On what grounds, Minamino-_san?"_

I sighed.

When I graduated from high school, I knew what was going to happen. I had known for months, since I had overheard my mother and step-father talking about it often. Now that he had died, his company was going to me. I knew that my step-brother wasn't too happy about this, but he couldn't argue that he wouldn't be able to keep up with a business like I could - I was also much older, and much more mature - more so than any of my family could realize - so I had been more than prepared to take over that run-down company and completely rework it.

The way he had run his business was horrible. There was no respect, no fear. Everyone who worked there was his friend - which would explain why he didn't have the heart to fire anyone. But I did. I fired them all, and they all thought I was crazy. But I knew the truth - the current employees were old, useless, and frankly stupid. I was practical, and hired younger people - some I had went to school with, some who I had just found through the grapevine. For humans, they were brilliant, surprisingly so. It didn't take long for us to change Hatanaka Corporation completely, building a reputation and expanding steadily.

By six months, I had fired all of them, too.

There was something wrong, something I just couldn't put my finger on. So I took a few weeks to figure it out (I didn't even have to take a break from working, since I could so most of what we had back then on my own. ) Not too long after, I received a message from Spirit world. I was not pleased - Koenma knew that I had no intention of doing anything for him anymore. After the last tournament, I had completely refuted my other side, Youko, and decided to live a _human _life.

"Look, this has nothing to do with that kind of stuff," Koenma had sighed after I had shown up in Spirit world, "I just need some advice. And you're brilliant."

Was he flattering me, or just stating the obvious? "Then, please. Explain."

"It's the barrier between worlds, Kurama. There are many demons trying to pass through to the Living world now that the barrier has been taken down, but we can't just let all of them in. We've been letting them get permits to come over for immigration, but all that's doing is adding more homeless, desperate demons into Living world."

A plan was forming from the instant he had started speaking, "Send them my way, Koenma. Let them work for me. The ones that prove they have the dedication not to cause trouble in Living world after, say, two years, can stay."

"And the ones that cause problems?"

"... I'll deal with them."

Which was what I was doing now.

"As per the agreement you signed when you crossed between worlds, any disruption in peace, or harm to humans is enough to have your permit revoked and you sent back to Demon world permanently," I recited the words I had become too used to saying - so many of the demons who crossed over and started work with me figured I would be soft on them; uncaring if they caused trouble because I, too, was a demon. They figured wrong, of course. uncontrollable demons would prove to be too much trouble.

"Now, now, _Shuuichi-sama,_" she pouted, leaning forward, "You of all people should understand how hard it is to control such... urges. She smells so delicious... I'm sure you've slipped up a few times yourself... and besides, it's not like I've actually _hurt her,_" she smirked, and I could tell that the words going through her head were '_not yet, at least.'_

"I let it slide once already - when you attacked Sakana-san in the elevator. I don't intend to make it a habit to excuse this kind of behavior. I've already told Spirit world about your deportation. You could leave on your own now, or be escorted," a lie, of course, I hadn't messaged anyone in Spirit world. But she didn't know that, and had no need to.

"Tch," she leaned back in her chair, "you're no fun."

I couldn't help but smirk. "I'm afraid that you're no longer an employee of Hatanaka Corporation. I'll have to ask you to leave - and, keep in mind that you won't be allowed to stay in Living world anymore as well."

I had already noticed the twitch of her energy here and there - She would attack, if she found the opportunity to do so. I could more than take care of her but felt no need. My office door opened then, rather suddenly, and I heard the excited voice I had been expecting:

"_Minamino Shuuichi-sama! I love you! Please, take me as your bride!" _her hair whipped behind her at her sudden stop - she had been running to the door, I was sure - and the deep blush on her face accented her words. Yet, when she saw Tanaka-san beginning to stand, she gasped, clasping her hands to either side of her face: "_Ehhh? What's _she _doing here? _A secret affair? Is she your lover? This lady? Shuuichi-kaichou!"

"Natsumi-chan..." I started, forcing a smile on my lips. She was a good worker, but hard to deal with sometimes, "now's not really the time..."

Seeing an opening, Tanaka-san moved to attack me. I did not move, because I knew she wouldn't reach me - she had leaped, but in a flash had been brought down by Natsumi, who had hooked her arm around the woman and pushed her to the ground. It didn't even seem like she had done it on purpose, but that was Natsumi for you; she was all automatic, one of the reasons I liked having her around. Her blind affection usually led to her taking care of those who would see me harmed.

Tanaka stood, grabbing at Natsumi. Sighing, I flicked my wrist - Tanaka fell with a thud, dead. Natsumi pouted, "Hey, Kaichou, that wasn't fair. I was fighting her."

"Yes, well," I shrugged lightly, "I don't want to see my office destroyed..."

Natsumi stepped around the corpse, watching the blood pouring from the back of Tanaka-san's head where the point of the rose had gone through. "You're gonna make more of a mess than I would, Kaichou. Geez!" She plucked the rose, and more blood started pouring out. Quickly, she stabbed it back in. Glaring at me, she added "Now I'll need to call clean up. Where's Ran?"

"I sent her on an errand," I explained, "You have time." I could imagine Ran running all over the place for Kasumi - by now, though, Kasumi was probably back at her office.

Natsumi picked her cell phone out of her pocket, pressing and holding down the "three" button - she had clean up on speed dial? "Asagi-kun, you're needed," and then she hung up. I smiled at her, encouragingly. I had long since told her not to give any details about clean up over the phone - you never know who could be listening. Besides, the cleanup crew would know where they needed to go - I was never sure how, though. The clean-up leader has never explained it to me, either.

It wasn't long until a woman strode into my office, long dark hair reaching down past her waist, her red eyes diluted to violet by blue contacts. A sucker hung from her mouth - something I had gotten used to seeing. The cleanup crew loved their candy, especially the leader. She stepped over the body nimbly, leaning against my desk and to my face.

"Yo," she winked, "Kurama-kun."

"Asagi-san," I smiled back. Natsumi was glaring angrily in our direction, but Asagi ignored it, trying not to laugh. She loved messing with Natsumi - especially when I was around. She knew as well as I did about Natsumi's feelings towards me, but Natsumi didn't understand Asagi enough to realize that she had no real affection towards me.

"Making a mess all over my carpet, I see," she growled, moving to examine the body. She flicked the rose carefully, laughing, "Your trademark. You could be a serial killer. It'd be interesting."

"Asagi-kun," Natsumi started, "If you would -" she was angry, I could tell, and wanted Asagi to hurry and be gone.

Asagi rolled her eyes, "Natsumi-chan, why you keep calling me '-kun' is beyond me. Yumi will be fine, just call me Yumi."

Natsumi opted to not call her anything.

"Let's see, let's see..." Yumi looked around, as if for a tool. She strode over to my window and opened it, and then moved back to the body and started dragging it towards the window. When both Natsumi and I moved to stop her, she giggled, "It was a joke, I was joking!"

I laughed politely and then informed her, "I'm in a bit of a hurry. My assistant should be on her way back here by now."

"It'll take her awhile, I shut off the elevator," she mentioned, reminding me of standard clean up protocol. One of the most important things was to remove access to the floor which contained the body - and since my office was only accessible by elevator or my window, Ran was out of luck.

Yumi sat cross-legged in front of the body, her arms out stretched across it. Taking a deep breath, she drew several circles in the air, each one materializing into a portal. Eventually, they connected and she leaned her head down into it. "Coming through, guys!"

I could already hear Koenma's voice in the background - it was clean-ups mission to inform him of dissidents like this so he could write it on the record. Yumi pushed the body through, being careful not to get blood on my carpet, and then waved at us. The portal closed as soon as she slid through it, but not before I heard Koenma yell "Oh, gross!"

The clean-up crew was immensely useful. I thanked Koenma often for sending them my way - most of them already had permanent permits for Living world - like Yumi, who had been here most of her life. When the barrier between worlds vanished, Koenma started cracking down on demons who were here before then - when he found Yumi, he figured that, considering she had been here so long and hadn't caused any trouble (seeing as she could have just warped into a bank and stolen money if she wanted) that she could stay. Aside from taking care of body disposal, they also maintained the cleanliness of the building, which was also useful.

After a few moments of silence, Natsumi turned to me. "Minamino-kaichou."

"It's private, Natsumi-chan - you can call me Kurama."

She blushed, "K..Ku...Kaichou."

I chuckled.

"What I said earlier... Just forget it." She sighed and turned away, softly closing the door as she went. Did I feel bad for not acknowledging her feelings towards me? Sometimes, yes. But, it's easier this way. I can't outright reject her, because I need her. And I can't accept her feelings, because I do not feel that for her. I don't feel that for anyone.

_We could die alone together._

At the thought of Ran's words, it wasn't Ran's face that I thought of; It was Maya's. For someone like me to become attached to someone else, it would be too dangerous for them. I have enemies. And while I can take care of myself, Maya could not. Natsumi could not. Ran... definitely could not.

_I don't want to die alone, Shuuichi._

Ran walked into the office then, worn out. She let out a relieved sigh when she saw me, and then said, "I found her, Minamino-san - she was in her office. But I didn't know where that was, so I... took a while looking for it. I'm sorry. I would have been here sooner, but the elevator wasn't working."

"I'm sorry, Ran," I said, "I forgot that they were supposed to be working on the elevator system this morning. I should have told you." my eyes worked over her body once, noticing the few demon insects that had begun to rest on her shoulders. With the barrier between worlds gone, insects made their way through more often - they had teams of exterminators all around Living world to get rid of them, but they often missed groups of them. Usually they don't cause harm, but are more like parasites, living off of the spirit energy of humans.

A small smile, and a blush she probably didn't notice herself, "It's alright." She rubbed her neck, unconsciously knocking the insects off of her. She could feel them, it seemed, but couldn't understand that what she felt was some_thing_ - instead, her mind seemed to believe it was something else, like a sore shoulder, or a bruise perhaps. Interesting. The first time I had met her, she had been covered in them - but didn't act like anything was wrong at all. The fact that she could at least sense them now, even if she didn't realize that's what she was doing, proved that her abilities were progressing even without her attempting to control them. I wasn't able to decide if that was a good or bad thing. The more powerful she got, the more likely she was to be attacked by demons - like Tanaka-san - who just couldn't resist the urge. It also gave her a chance to learn to control her abilities - which would prove useful, should I need her.

But a powerful psychic as... air headed as Ran on the loose? I'd have to keep her close.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter One:<strong>

The Interview.

"I'm sorry about this, Minamino-san," Masaki Nagamura said again, several coughs resounding through the speaker phone, "I don't know how long they're going to be keeping me here. I need to get back to Demon world - these human doctors probably don't understand what they're looking at."

"I understand, Nagamura-san," I reassured her, "I'll make the arrangements, you focus on getting better," she promised she would and then hung up the phone. She had made the mistake of fainting in front of some humans - some disease she'd encountered in Living world, probably something simple like the flu, but her immune system wasn't used to human illness. Her body couldn't fight the sickness. An ambulance was called, and now the doctors at the hospital are trying to figure out why she has no blood. Or heart.

Of course, Hiei was already on his way to erase all of their memories - as for getting Nagamura back to Demon world so she could be properly treated for, I had to send a message to Koenma so he could secure a portal.

Misaki Nagamura has been the receptionist at the front desk of Hatanaka Corporation for almost three years now. She is efficient at sending messages and taking calls, as well as deterring human suspicions. She wouldn't be able to work for a while, and for that I was set behind. I didn't want to move anyone into her position - but it needed to be filled.

"Kasumi-san," I called, knowing she had just stepped onto the floor, "If you would set out an ad or two saying that we're hiring."

"Yes, sir. The usual outlets?" By that, she meant, _everywhere?_

I nodded, and she immediately turned to start working. She was a good worker - her and Natsumi both. I am glad that I found them when I did, for they would have been useless to me dead.

Three weeks later, I had started a round of interviews for the position. It was only temporary, so I hadn't expected so many applicants; human and demon alike. After looking over their resumes, most of them weren't that impressive. Good thing the position was temporary.

"I've had plenty of _experience,_" Tomo Kawashi was saying - though I'm sure she wasn't even sure what kind of job I was hiring for, let alone what I would consider as _experience._ Her resume was unimpressive, a disaster, really, her only previous jobs being part-time fast-food ventures which lasted for only a few months at a time.

Still. It would be impolite to just ignore her. "Perhaps, Kawashi-san, this isn't -"

_Pop. Pop. _ The two buttons on the top of her already low blouse came undone. "Oh," she breathed silkily, "Whoops. " She reached her hand down to her shirt, and for a second I thought she was going to button it back up, but instead she began to unbutton the rest of it - Her bra was a bright, lacy pink thing, tightly - and barely - covering her breasts. "I've always," _pop,_ "wanted to," _pop,_ "meet you..." _pop, pop, pop._ Her shirt was completely undone, and before I could protest, she had shed her shirt and unfastened her bra.

I had to admit, she seemed very experienced in undressing, at least. Her bra slid to the floor as she stood up and leaned across my desk - I heard a _zip_ as her skirt fell to the floor, exposing her bright yellow thong.

I sighed.

"Kawashi-san, I apologize. But I don't think I can give you this job."

A giggle - her breasts bounced slightly with the noise, "I could probably change your mind..." Her voice was smooth, and I had no doubt that if I were a typical male, she _could _change my mind. But I was _not_ a typical male, and though she had a very nice body she failed one of my more important requirements for a lover.

"Kawashi-san, you're a very beautiful woman. But you are also very young, and have a long life ahead of you. I cannot take advantage of you and still live with myself," A lie, of course. I could take advantage of _anyone_ and still sleep rather soundly.

"I'm not _that _young... and you say it like it's a bad thing for you... I'm still about as _young_ as it gets... if you know what I mean," she winked, and again I sighed.

"Kawashi-san, please get dressed."

She finally frowned, and then angrily slid off of my desk, taking a few papers with her. She yanked her skirt up, the strings to her thong easily visible, and threw her shirt back around. She didn't even bother buttoning it back up - but begun to storm out of my office in a fit. She wouldn't take _no_ for an answer without making a show about it, it seemed. I followed her to the door as she threw it open. I shook my head and started looking towards the other candidates - most of whom were not paying attention to me at all, but to the scandal stomping to the elevator.

My eyes gazed down at my list and then back up, and before I had read her name I noticed her staring at me in amazement. "Sakana Ran?" She jumped up, pulling away from the woman who had been whispering to her just seconds ago. Her face was a pleasant red as she mechanically walked into my office.

"So," I started, writing her name on a blank piece of paper on my clipboard, "It says on your resume you've never had a job before," I wrote '_human'_ under her name and then, "Honestly, I'm looking for an experienced secretary. Is there any particular reason that you decided to apply?"

I had intended the question to root out any ulterior motives, such as Tomo Kawashi's, but she surprised me by her prompt and blunt answer, "I needed a job." The second she said it, though, I could tell she regretted her honesty, so she followed it up with what I assume she might have considered tact, "And I felt that this would be, at least, a great start to a stable..." at this point, she started to get quiet, as if just realizing what she had been saying, "...career in the future."

I could tell from her expression that I didn't need to inform her that she was placing her foot firmly in her mouth, so I threw her a bone. "I see, I see..." I started looking for her resume in the pile of papers on my desk (which had been neatly organized until a certain woman had started nakedly parading all over it) and then my cell phone rang. I frowned, "Please excuse me for a second," and then after I had stood, "Hello?

"Shuuichi?" I moved to the window, staring down at the city below me. The cars were passing in a blur - but this blur was filled with so many infinitesimal details to me - the color of each vehicle, the amount of people seated in them, the make and models... my eyes, trained to follow the movements of enemies in battle, could see everything. _Such talent will aid you no longer in this world..._

"Mother, " I answered, "How are you feeling?"

"Oh... you know. Alright." Her voice was cheerful, but there was an edge to it. What wasn't she telling me? I had a few suspicions... My mother was an older woman, but still capable... she had been a widow for a while, so it wouldn't be likely...she has dated, though... She did not smell like a pregnant woman, however, so I couldn't be sure... human tests could probably find out a little sooner than my nose.

_You knew before Keiko and Yusuke did, _I reminded myself, _Shiori's been acting strange for a while. You'd know by now._ I swatted at the air - looking back to make sure Sakana-san hadn't seen. She was staring straight at me, but seemed to be lost in thought. She'd most likely think I was waving a fly out of my face or something, but I could never be too sure... So many people could see the demon insects lately. It buzzed away, landing on Sakana-san's shoulder. It wouldn't harm her - she had zero spiritual presence, and probably couldn't even feel it. I turned back, answering a question my mother had asked me - the answer had not escaped my lips for even a second before my desk phone went off - damn. That was probably Yuu... There was no way I would be able to answer it at the moment, but if I didn't I knew he didn't have the time to keep calling me... His own company falling into disarray, he had more than enough on his hands. I struggled with how I could politely disengage conversation with Shiori for about half a second before the ringing stopped.

I slowly turned around - Sakana Ran stared back at me, her eyes wide in fear. She was obviously just realizing what she had done, and began panicking. Though the situation wasn't that funny, I couldn't help but chuckle... and then I noticed that another demon insect had landed on her shoulder. I furrowed my brows together in concern... _Unusual, _I thought as I turned towards the window again.

Mother had asked me a question, but I hadn't been listening, "Yes," I replied.

Silence answered for a second, and then, "Really?"

"Yes," I was sure my voice sounded unsure, because at that moment I heard Ran stammering Kaitou's name. I looked back at her, and then down at my desk, trying to somehow convey the words "Hang up" to her. It wasn't until she looked down at my desk that I remembered that I had hands, and said hands would have been easier to communicate with... Oh well. How much damage could she do?

My mother still hadn't replied, so I asked if she was still there. What had I said yes to? "W...well, alright. I didn't think you'd agree so fast... She's a lovely girl, really..."

I sighed inwardly. _So I agreed to an omai meeting..._Great. I'd have to find a way to get some Dream Flower Pollen to mother as soon as possible, before she started making any concrete plans.

"... Her mother is a really lovely lady - she talks about her all the time, and I thought, well..." Mother trailed off, " I haven't seen her for years, but Sakana-san talks to highly of her."

A bell rang in my head, "Sakana-san?"

"Sakana Akane - you've met her... she was a friend of your father's."

With a frown, I resisted the urge to say _step-father, _and then glanced over at the woman at my desk. She was holding up my black planner, trying to grab my attention. _Is this your planner? _she mouthed, and started flipping through it. Mother started talking about _her_ Sakana-san while _my _Sakana-san scribbled something on a paper... Tuesday, 3:00PM? No good. I had promised Kuwabara-kun I would visit Genkai's estate with him... It wouldn't take long, though. I held out four fingers. She could replace whatever appointment I had there with Yuu - he was more important than whatever visitor I was going to have that evening. She held it up again, this time with 3:00PM crossed out and 4:00PM? written sloppily above it. I nodded and then turned away.

Right after I did, I heard, "Might I ask what day _would _be good for you, Kaitou-san?" I let out an agitated sigh at the words, turning slightly to see her reaction. Our eyes locked and then I looked away. She was a big girl. She could handle it.

"... Apparently they had a falling out, but have made up quite amazingly. She said that her daughter had insisted - _demanded_, really - that she be married! Would you believe it? You've met her, when she was just a child-"

I raised an eyebrow even though she couldn't see it - what, was she trying to marry me off to a toddler? She had only been with Hatanaka for six or seven years before he had passed away, so anyone who had been a child when we met would still be a child now - Oh. I realized, then, that she had meant that Sakana Akane had been a friend of Minamino Shuuichi's real father... I scanned my earlier memories, and found that the name started sounding familiar...

"She had two daughters, correct?"

"Three now! Can you believe it? Twins, at her age! Why, she's only a year or two younger than me! They're about four years old, mind you, but the pictures she sent me were so cute..."

Vague memories of the dreaded "play date" years drifted in and out of my head while I tried to focus on two conversations at once. It wasn't hard, but there were other things I'd like to be doing.

"How does noon sound?"

I faced Ran again, and nodded. She blushed a nice shade of red, to which I chuckled. She set the phone down, and I was glad to have one conversation finished.

"Kanae is such a lovely girl, too. Very pretty. Very traditional family, too. Akane is _so _useful with sewing and cooking... I bet her daughters are the same way," I felt like it was a bad time to let my mother know that sewing and cooking weren't on my priority list for a lover _or_ wife... she'd probably pale if she knew what _was_ on the list...I thought back to Tomo Kawashi, who had a very nice body, well maintained skin... her voice was a decent tone, too. Lovely, really. But her undergarments did not match, and even if they did the neon colors did nothing for me... nor did her forwardness.

"She sounds quite nice..." Though, from my memories, I could remember Sakana Kanae well enough - she was a brash girl, who had spared no expense in ignoring me completely and bullying her older brothers and younger sister. My eyes flashed briefly over to the girl sitting by my desk. "Do you remember the other daughter's name? Wasn't it... Lanu?"

"Why, yes, I do beleive it was...Or, was it Ranu? Or, Ran? Where is that card... Sakana-san sent a Christmas card last year, I think it had her... Yes. I think this kanji is read _Ran._ She was a nice girl too! Her mother says she's too young to marry... A good few years younger than you, I'm sure. She was barely walking when you saw her last, I think!" I recalled her being able to walk just fine, but not able to stay up long enough on account of her sister pushing her down. Lovely girl, indeed... "She had that one problem, though, didn't she? Heard that her mother went through a lot of doctors for it, too..."

"For what?" I questioned.

"Oh, goodness! I forget... I thought you were too young to know when I had found out - though, of course you've been a so _grown up_ all your life-" If she only knew... "- I didn't want you to have nightmares over it -" Unlikely, the things I've seen and still slept knowing... "-You would have been about ten or so... I think she was five or six...It happened while we were visiting them in Kyoto. You might remember a bit of it - the ambulance, maybe." I thought back to the many times I was forced on these trips, though I had had many playmates and the Sakana's weren't the most memorable ones in my mind.

"I remember the flashing lights," I offered, though I remembered much more. It had been late December, we had been stuck in a blizzard and couldn't leave. Mother had slept in the guest room and I shared a room with the older sons. A scream in the night had me on guard, and I had crept out to see what had been going on. By then I had enough control of my powers to harness grass seeds into fine blades. Not too strong or sharp, but pointy enough that a good throw could pierce most substances. It was the first real control I had had over _Youko_ since I had come to the human world via Shiori's womb. It was on that trip that I had started gaining control, now that I remembered... A sharp, pulling sensation had me all but running to the source -

"Yes, the lights are about all I could remember, too. But there was an accident of some sort, and apparently she suffered some...damage. I was in the room with them when her father picked her up, kicking and screaming... she said things were on her. That she could see... things. Very disturbing... Sakana-san told me today thatRan-chan has become a bit of a problem child. Rebellious, she said. It makes me relieved that it is _Kanae-san_ who is your age, and not her..."

"Yes," I said, distracted. "Mother, I'm afraid I have to go now... I'll talk to you after work. I love you."

"I love you too, Shuuichi. I'm so glad you agreed... It'll work out wonderfully, I'm sure!"

When I closed the phone and turned back to Sakana-san, I was momentarily lost for words. She sat calmly, her eyes closed and then opened as if she knew I was looking at her... but it wasn't really her I was looking at - it was the dozen or so demon insects resting on her body.

_Said things were on her... she could see ... things._

She didn't seem to see them as she gave me a tentative, hopeful smile. Her scent was human through and through - there was no telltale whiff of spirit energy on her... in fact, it seemed that, impossibly, she had no spirit energy at all.

_Heard her mother went through a lot of doctors for it, too..._

I sat down at my desk, grabbing my clipboard and adding a few things to her notes - now it read: "Sakana Ran. Human, possible psychic with mental blocks. Probably self-induced from psychological trauma." I would have to see what I could find out about that incident sixteen years ago before I could be sure.

"Well," I started, setting my clipboard down, "I can surely say you're resourceful," though the incident with Kaitou was beginning to seem like the least interesting part of this interview, "I don't want to waste your time, so you can go now. I'll give you a call later with the outcome."

As she stood to leave. I placed my hand on her back, shooting a jet of my energy around her. I could feel the more...sensitive people in the other room tense up, even though I couldn't see them. I couldn't blame them - I normally kept it on the backburner, but I needed to be sure... Ran jumped slightly, but it seemed that it was from my hand being on her back at all, rather than my energy chasing away the demon insects. Her body, however, knew it was suddenly marginally lighter - she stumbled through the door, drawing the giggles of a few women.

I took a deep breath, and then called out the next name.

**Chapter Two:**

The Bills

I woke up in the middle of the night and turned off my air conditioner. It was too cold - which was strange, because I usually enjoyed the cold. I had been dreaming about... something. If there was one thing that unsettled me, it was when I could not remember my dreams... especially since I had a hard time forgetting anything else.

I had made the mistake of bringing this up with Kuwabara-kun once or twice. His advice, though sincere, was always the same and not too impressive: _Keep a dream journal... I do. 'Course, half of the time my dreams end up being predictions and stuff, and things can go bad if I miss the message, you get what I'm saying? _His voice was so clear in my memory, even his snarky laugh, _Like that earthquake a few years back... It wasn't a big one, but people could have gotten hurt. I don't want that on my shoulders... anyway, I have an extra if you want it... though you could probably just buy yourself one or something. _

I rather liked Kuwabara-kun, but sometimes I wondered if he was all _there._ Not to sound rude, or anything.

_I wouldn't worry about it, _Yusuke had said, _I don't remember anything I dream about, and nothing bad has happened. I bet all the dreams I've forgotten have to do with me kicking some guys ass anyway. _Yusuke's laugh was louder in my head than Kuwabara-kun's, _Now that I think about it, I might want to remember my dreams after all! Sounds pretty bitching to me! Give me that book, Kuwabara!_

_H-hey, no!_

The two got into a scuffle, which was nothing out of the ordinary, so while they were distracted I had turned to Hiei, who had been visiting from Demon world for a few days - it was the reason we had gotten together in the first place. _I don't dream,_ was Hiei's simple reply. A lie, I knew. The first night I had met the demon, he had been so enthralled in his dreams that he had awoken, shouting his sisters name. I had a feeling that his Jangan eye would not allow him to forget his dreams... and I knew that most of them were not pleasant to remember.

But this was different. This was a dream I had had for several nights now - and I couldn't pin it down. It felt more like a faded memory than a dream... or, at least what I supposed a faded memory would feel like. I didn't have too many of those.

It was maybe three in the morning, a little early but not too much. I would have had to get up in four or so hours anyway. I might be able to get some paperwork done. That might put me back to sleep, too.

I poured some of last night's tea into a glass, drinking it all in one go. After that I poured out the remainder and started making some fresh. The wide window in my living room reflected the contents of my apartment perfectly - I turned off a light, and it went black. Below, even at this time of night, cars sped down the road. Even in this darkness, the blur was detailed. I closed my eyes and leaned my head against the glass for a second, then turned and started towards the study.

Mindless paperwork was mindless - this world had too many formalities attached to it. You couldn't borrow 100 yen from someone without the necessary paperwork. People wanted it written down where they could shove it in your face that you owed them.

Well. _I've_ never had people telling me that I owe them. It's usually the opposite. Still, I would like to think that someday someone would pay back a loan without me having to prove that I gave them money. _Humans._

I blinked, catching my negativity. Not even six years ago, I was prepared to live my life as a human and then die as a human. But...I'm surrounded by demons everywhere I go. It's not easy to detach yourself from a life you're constantly reminded of. I thought I would be glad to be through with it - with the fighting, the backstabbing, the _fallacy_ that came with demons. Yet... neck deep in the most human of humans, and nothing has changed.

Perhaps it was time I took a vacation.

My cell phone rang maybe ten minutes later - strange, considering the hour, but not unheard of. I recognized the number immediately, and answered with a brief understanding of what would happen next.

"There are three of them," Yumi said as soon as I had answered. She didn't waste time with explanations, because there was only one thing she would be calling about this time of night. Yet, to my surprise she added, "Sorry if I woke you. What do you want me to do?"

I didn't mention that I had been awake already, "Give me the story."

"Two days ago I saw one of them harassing a young woman - I thought she was human at first, but she smelled demon when I got closer. I wasn't sure what they were arguing about until I heard him talk about eating - you know, usual demon fare."

"Humans. And then what? You didn't stop him there?"

"Well..." she trailed off, "I had a feeling that he might lead me to more of them. I followed up on the demon girl he was arguing with -we got her to tell us his name. Snuck over without a permit, so there's that. He had been threatening this girl with death to get her to bring children to him... She was a mess. I gave her directions to the office and told her to go there should she need help - I gave her your name, too."

"Good. And then?"

She paused, "She told me where I could find him, and I've been following him since... He met up with others about ten minutes ago..."

"What's the matter?"

"... They killed two women. I didn't get here on time. They were dying when I got here... and they... I don't think I can take all three of them by myself. Can you come?"

I was a little surprised, because Yumi had never asked me to help her with her own "clean-up" - her and several others selected by Koenma had been tracking down demons who posed a threat to humans and got rid of them. Yumi usually only called me when she needed advice on how to act... that she was asking for me to be there made me uneasy. "Where are you?"

She proceeded to tell me of her location, and then added, "Kurama? This looks bad. I think - I think there are more coming."

"I understand. I'll be there in about ten minutes. Be sure not to engage them until then, okay?"

There was a muffled noise, and then some cursing, "Looks like I won't be able to... shit." She hung up, and ten seconds later I was making my way down the stairs - for me they were faster than an elevator. It was the same reason I didn't go towards my car, and instead jumped onto the nearest roof I could reach easily and started running.

I could smell them before I really knew where I was - the stench of human blood and malice overcame my other senses too easily. They weren't even trying to hide their massacre... which made them the worst kind of demon.

Looking onto the street below, I could see the two bodies Yumi had told me about - if "bodies" were what they were anymore. One was merely a torso - the other was missing only an arm, but her body was clawed and ravaged - one didn't need to note her shredded clothes to know what she how she had died. One of the demons worked savagely over her body, ripping and tearing with his teeth - he had yet to shed his humanesque appearance, unlike the other two, and the sight of an apparently human devouring another human increased my unease tenfold. If a human were to walk onto this scene...

As I watched, two more demons stepped into the alley - a large, foul one with massive claws, and a smaller one with two, sharp horns (and nothing much else going for him, really.) the larger one carried a woman with him, dragging her along the ground by her arms. At first, I thought she was dead - but I could hear the sobs escaping her mouth as soon as I saw Yumi rush towards them, the gleam from her dagger making a trail of light as she cut the smaller one in half. I watched for only half a second more, as the other demon threw the woman he was dragging at Yumi, knocking her down.

On more instinct than anything, I released my rose whip and tore down the two demons who hadn't even noticed the struggle behind them yet - and then headed for the third, who had been watching the altercation while still devouring the corpse - I gave this one five seconds of pain instead of just one like the others, and then severed his head. Blood poured like a fountain as his body returned to its normal shape and size, shedding the now unneeded human guise.

To the larger demon, who had started running blindly towards me, I did nothing. A streak of light slashed through him, Yumi's dagger all but cutting him in half. She coughed and fell at the same time as the demon. As I ran up to her, she gripped her chest, spasming into a fit of coughs. I patted her back as she curled over and vomited onto the sidewalk.

"Sorry about that," she said, "The smell... it makes me-"

"I know," I said. "Take your time."

I stood then, walking over to the panting girl who had somehow made it to the wall, curling against it with her eyes closed and hands over her ears. I touched her hand with mine, gently. She looked up and met my eyes. We were both startled with the recognition for a second, until she broke the silence. "Minamino...?" her voice was carefully hopeful, as if waking from a bad dream.

"Sakana-san," I confirmed, helping her up, "Are you hurt?"

"I- I -" she looked around at the scene and collapsed again, her eyes wide with fear, "I - what are - Oh, god -" And then she turned and faced the wall, retching.

She gripped her arm, shaking violently. Her sleeves were torn and the wound was easily visible. It had already turned black on the edges - a clear sign of poison. And from the way it was festering under such a short period of time, I could tell that it wasn't the _good _kind of poison. _Though I suppose that poison is hardly "good," _I commented to myself as I started working on her arm, _but there are useful ones. Poisons that can frighten a person, making them believe they're near death, that there's no antidote , _I searched the hair at the back of my neck, deciding which seed I needed by its texture, _they give out information much easier when they're scared... of course, _that _poison is cycled through the body normally and wears out in a couple days... _Ran's eyes widened as she watched the seed turn into a fully mature plant in my hand. I wasted no time crushing it in my hands over her wound. As the liquid from the plant hit her wound it sizzled, leaving trails of smoke to accompany the air around her screams.

She broke down into sobs when the pain stopped, and then started mumbling so quietly that the sounds barely escaped her throat, "Let me go..." she moaned, "I want to go home... please... what did I do..."

Yumi looked on, a concerned look on her face, "take her home, Kurama. I'm calling the guys to help me with this one. There's a lot that I need to do, and she doesn't need to see it."

I nodded, offering my hand to the girl, but she didn't take it. It seemed like she wasn't _there_ anymore. Her eyes stared ahead of her, unfocused, but she was still muttering under her breath, "Why me? Why? What did I... what did I do?"

As I picked her up, carrying her carefully in my arms, I began to notice the tiny, faint glimmer of spirit energy within her. When we had first met, it had felt like she had none at all - but as I felt around it now, her spirit energy was like a tiny flame, as if the slightest breeze would knock it out again. And then, as if it had realized it had been seen, the flame went out. I had never seen anything like it.

I looked down at her, "Sakana-san..." I said it twice, yet she didn't reply. She stared straight up into the sky, muttering still. "Ran."

Her eyes moved from the sky to my face, tears sliding down her cheeks at the movement. Life began to return to her expression not to her voice. "Am I dead?"

My eyebrows raised slightly at her question, "No, Ran. Where do you live? I need to..." I didn't want to mention her injuries, because I wasn't sure if she would lapse into another fit if she remembered.

"I feel like I just died," she said, closing her eyes. From there she muttered half-understandable directions to her apartment, wincing from pain every time I moved her wrong. I had to travel by foot - walking at a fast pace instead of my typical method. I would have jumped from rooftop to rooftop had I known she had been passed out sometime after giving me directions.

The name plate on her door was handwritten - surprisingly, I noted, she had decent skill in calligraphy. The kanji, I knew, was read "Sakana Ran," with the kanji for her given name using the symbol for a type of flower - one which I knew could have some interesting abilities when grown on the demon plane. I was about to check her pockets for her keys, but tried to open the door first - it opened right up. I sighed, "You should keep your door locked," I muttered, but she wouldn't have heard me.

I set her down on her couch for the time being and glanced around. Her apartment, though smaller than mine, was a decent size... albeit empty. Out of curiosity more than anything, I walked over to her fridge and opened it up (that's when I noticed that her fridge was about half as tall as I was. I think this would be the first time I had seen a miniature refrigerator.) There were a few bottles of a soda I had never tried before... and nothing much else. All of her dishes were disposable, and upon entering her room I realized that she had only two furnishings: a small set of drawers, and an inflatable mattress. This would be my first time seeing one of these, as well. I pressed my hand into it, feeling. That couldn't be that comfortable to sleep on.

I moved her from the couch to her bed, and removed her shirt. Aside from the one scratch, her stomach also had a few marks, though those were easily fixable.

It seemed like the second I had finished working over her arm - hopefully, there wouldn't even be a scratch in the morning - that the lights had gone out. I could hear her air conditioner slow and come to a stop. A black out? Walking out of the room and looking from the large window behind her table, I could see that there were still lights on everywhere else. _She must not have paid her bills._

I had no problem working in the dark. I placed a lamp seed on the table and grabbed one of her disposable plastic glasses - embedded with Hatanaka's company logo, I noticed. That was amusing - and mixed some of her soda with a large share of pollen from the Dream Flower.

I shook her awake and told her to drink. "What is it?" she mumbled.

"Ramune," I told her, reciting the name of the beverage.

"What flavor?"

"Orange."

"Mmm..." she groaned, lifting her head up enough to drink, "I guess I can get up for that..."

The liquid passed her lips and down her throat in seconds - that was all it took for her eyes to close. Half-lidded, her eyes darted around beneath her eyelids.

"You're going to forget about tonight," I started, "About being attacked, about demons, and about even seeing me. You woke up, took a walk, had some soda, and then went to bed. "

* * *

><p>I had thought she had been acting strange. To my dismay, it wasn't that she was pregnant - already the idea seemed stupid in hindsight - but that she was sick.<p>

"How sick?" I had whispered. Shiori stared sadly down into her cup, gazing into it as if she were gazing a thousand miles away.

"Ryuji-sensei says it's the same as it had been back then - we don't know why it came back now, and so strongly, but... I didn't know how to tell you, Shuuichi. I didn't want to upset you."

My fists clenched and unclenched under the table. "It's alright mother, I'm not upset," that damned mirror. What use was the half of my life, the half of Yusuke's life that it took, if it couldn't even hold to its side of the bargain? "We'll get you admitted, get this cured this time. For real."

She shook her head. "I don't want to be healed."

I couldn't say anything for a second, but then stood angrily. "Don't want to be - _mother!_ You are - you are too young to think that way!"

She stood, grabbing my hands and pulling me back down, "Shuuichi, it's alright. I... Kazuya was so nice to me, and you both have taken care of me so well. But... It's time that I be with your father. These years have been hard without him. It's my time, Shuuichi."

And what could I say to that? Could I argue? Force her into living past her "time"? She was human, she would die eventually anyway. The longer I stayed in the Living world, the harder it was to accept the short lifespans of the people around me - the people I cared about. Still, I realized with a pathetic kind of relief, at least I wasn't like Yusuke: he had fallen in love with, married, and bred with a human, who would die long before him and the children they spawned. With a sigh, I knew there could be no greater pain than the one which comes from the separation of lovers through death. This would be the second for my mother, and though she still smiled on the outside, I knew that each day must be unbearably painful.

"Let's change the subject," Mother stammered worriedly, "Are you looking forward to your meeting with Sakana-san and her daughter?"

Tentatively, I smiled. I knew what this what about now - she wanted to see me married and happy before she died. I couldn't deny her that now, "Yes. I remember Kanae-san quite fondly..."

We talked about the marriage for a good hour or so, and the longer we talked about it, the more I realized that I did _not_ want to marry Sakana Kanae. Perhaps a marriage for the benefit of my mother, and then a quick divorce after her death.

When we parted ways, I went straight to Spirit world. I wasn't allowed near the vault, so I couldn't inspect the Forlorn Hope myself, but I was allowed access into the archives (after a stressful amount of paperwork that put my daily amount to shame, and an agreement to have an ogre accompany me.)

"What are you looking for, Kurama?" Jorge, the blue ogre asked.

"A file." I said simply.

"What kind of file? There are a lot of files. Maybe _I_ can help you!"

I tried not to sigh, "File 33-9j22-67."

A silence, "Perhaps Jorge could ask Koenma."

"That would be helpful."

As the Jorge rushed off, I shook my head.

They made this too easy.

Word had spread that I was here, so I suppose out of habit they increased the guards around the vault. I wasn't sure, I thought as I stood in the vault about twenty seconds later, if the meager protection was an insult or just an oversight of my abilities.

"You know that Yusuke broke the mirror," Koenma said, not asked, as he stepped in a minute or two later. At his appearance, I let out a small laugh, "Come on Kurama. We both know you were going to find a way to get in here."

"Yes," I said, "I know Yusuke broke the mirror."

"I know you want to do this alone, but I need to be here with you. At least give the _appearance_ that Spirit world's most protected Vault can't be infiltrated without supervision."

"You need to take care of that back door."

"_Back doo- _Oh, you were joking."

I chuckled as I sifted through some treasures lying around. The old me would be scooping these up by the armful and darting out of here. The new me was, admittedly, a little tempted.

I held the mirror in my hands, twisting it this way and that. "It had already made her better by the time Yusuke had destroyed it," I commented, "surely it wouldn't have taken it this long for the effect to wear off."

"No," Koenma replied, "But it's possible that it's taken your mother this long to relapse naturally. Technically, the mirror granted your wish, but Shiori Minamino would have fallen ill again regardless - at which time the mirror would have healed her again. It would have been and endless loop, and by that logic your human mother would have been immortal."

"But the mirror is broken," I concluded for him, "Thus the spirit within is dead."

"Both you and Yusuke got the half of your life the mirror took returned."

"Meaning, of course, the wish is null and void anyway."

Koenma's silence confirmed this, and the base of the mirror shattered against the wall. There was nothing but hardly recognizable chunks of the Forlorn Hope left. Nothing but hardly recognizable remnants of countless wishes, and countless lives taken to receive them. "You knew?"

A bead of sweat rolled down the other's face, "I suspected," he admitted, "But I saw no reasons to bother you with suspicions. There was no way of knowing - Shiori's health remained immaculate, and the book had her down for natural causes years from now."

"Confidential information," I intoned.

"I think the whole confidential thing is moot at the moment. Shiori isn't going to live much longer. I know you have an attachment to her, Kurama, but humans die."

"I know that."

"Do you?"

"I came across something interesting that I feel you should know about, Koenma," I changed the subject solidly, though obviously, "Something that I had never seen before."

"Oh? That's a short list."

I ignored his sarcasm, though I did toy with the thought of murdering him for a moment or two, and continued, "I came across a human with no spirit energy."

He thought for a moment, "You know, of course, that most humans have little-to-no spiritual awareness at all, and therefore have almost no sensible spirit energy, either?"

"Yes," he was stating the obvious, "but her energy was... repressed. It was there - this morning I could sense it, but she seemed to realize that I had and hid it again, completely. I know there are some of the more experienced who can hide their energy, but this was different. It was as if -"

_I feel like I just died, _she had said.

"- It was as if she were dead."

Koenma's frown depend the more he thought about it, "Troubling. I've never heard of such a thing. "

"Demon insects flocked to her in my office - I thought it was strange, considering her apparent lack of energy. And she has some... history."

"The name?"

"Sakana Ran." After a moment, I added, "She came from Kyoto, if that helps."

"I'll look into her. If you would keep an eye on her, if you can. This reminds me too much of those last moments with Karasu to be comfortable."

He was, of course, referring to the ghastly, crow-like demon I had battled with during the finals of the Dark Tournament - or, rather of the few seconds before he exploded. Or, at least tried to explode. Before I killed him.

His death hadn't won us a point for the tournament, because I was a little late standing up, but it did win me the relief of knowing that creep was dead.

I had to agree with keeping an eye on her - I hadn't thought about it much until Koenma pointed out the similarities, but if Ran were the type to bottle it all up until it let loose, she would be a danger to everyone.

After parting with Koenma, the question became _How do I keep an eye on Ran?_ I had already turned her down for a job, and chances are by now she already had one. I had missed a prime opportunity. Still, plans popped up in my head one by one. The first one, the easiest, was to fire Tanaka-san and go back and hire Ran. However, I couldn't think of a good reason to legitimately fire Tanaka-san so I decided to think of something else.

I was me, after all. I had hated it, but it had come in handy several times - Ran, clumsy, young Ran - _was_ a woman. If need be, I could seduce her into loyalty. The more I thought about it, the more amusing the idea became, and the more likely I would see it through.

It was if Spirit world sent me the chance itself when, as I had gone to talk over the incident with the mirror with Yusuke when as I stepped up to the stand I saw Ran sitting there, miserably, blowing at a bowl of hot ramen.

There were four stools to take - two to the left, two to the right. Ran was occupying one on the right - I sat next to her as Yusuke passed a bowl over. He probably sensed me coming. He was good at that, at least. I looked down at the bowl and smiled. _Kitsune Udon._

"I don't like tofu," I said.

"You dick," replied Yusuke.

I took my first bite, and then looked at Keiko, "How's everything coming along?"

"Went to the clinic yesterday...You were right Kurama, twins." She rubbed her stomach lightly, lovingly. Keiko would be a great mother - and though Yusuke denied it, he would be a very capable father.

"You and your cheating fox nose," Yusuke muttered, sliding some money my way. I'd find a way to return it, of course. I wasn't going to keep their money as such a crucial moment. Yusuke had told me that they were planning to build a house - he had asked all of us for permission to use Genkai's land. We had all agreed, of course. She had entrusted her land to all of us, but Yusuke was her student. All of us considered his word to be the final one when it came to Genkai. I had offered to fund him for his house - but, needless to say, this was Yusuke we were talking about. His pride wouldn't allow it.

Ran's shoulders increasingly stiffened as time went by as she, expectedly, became more and more uncomfortable. Alright. Now was as good a time as ever.

I leaned in, much closer than I needed to be, and asked, "Sakana-san?"

To my surprise she jumped, throwing her phone in the air and splattering pork ramen all over her shirt - effectually, her phone sizzled and popped and finally hissed out of life.

Of course, Yusuke howled, and I immediately tried to retrieve her phone from the ramen (with my chopsticks, of course. I didn't want to get my hands messy.

Ran made a strange sob - somewhere between a sigh and a sob, or maybe a sob and a whine. She was trying not to cry, her eyes turning red and filling with tears.

I plucked her phone out and tried to hand it to her, but she just stood and stumbled away. Yusuke and I exchanged glances, but decided to leave it alone.

"I didn't know you knew Sakana-san," I told Yusuke, eating around the tofu.

"Well, I don't. She just looked scared and lost so I decided to treat her to ramen - a demon had stolen her phone and ran off with it. I ran him over with my cart. How do you know her?"

I explained Ran to him - her strange lack of spirit energy, Koenma's request to keep an eye on her. And then I told him about Shiori.

"It's my fault, isn't it?"

Keiko looked back and forth between the two of us, picking up on the tense moment easily. I looked away, "You had to defeat Hiei at the time. I couldn't have expected you to think that the mirror might break, or that the wish would become void. You were fighting for your life; I have to right to be angry at you for that."

I think we both knew I was trying to convince myself more than him, but he wasn't the type to call me out on those things. Instead, he settled with, "Why can't we just find _another_ magic mirror?"

I snorted, "The Forlorn Hope was older than _I_ am," at that, Yusuke winced. I had never told him how old I actually was, but he didn't need me to for him to realize that it was longer than the average person. Way longer, "You may remember Koenma telling you that those artifacts were created by the Universe itself -Artifacts like that gain their powers from the passage of time. Like a fine wine, maturing."

Yusuke looked down, suddenly preoccupied with the stove in front of him, "You... can't pull some plant mojo?"

"Even if I could, she's shown no interest in getting better."

Keiko changed the subject back to the things growing in her uterus conveniently, and soon I was distracted by thoughts of Ran - She would prove to be a good way to ignore the things around me that mattered. After parting with them, I headed to the nearest mobile phone store I could find. Purchasing and activating it, I devised my plan.

_Oh, I wanted to offer this after destroying yours, _though it wasn't my fault, really, _hopefully, it will come to some use. You could call me, for example. Every day. And tell me if you see demons or something. _

I'd have to work the details out later.

Her apartment wasn't hard to find, considering I had been there that morning. I almost just opened the door and walked in, but I decided to knock first - I didn't sense her presence, but that was no surprise, considering her repressed spirit energy... for all I knew, she could be just on the other side of that door, looking out at me through the peep hole.

She didn't answer, so I opened the door.

That's when I saw her dart up, sitting straight, staring at me with mild terror. It was dark in the apartment, so of course she couldn't see me but that didn't help. I could see her opening her mouth to scream, but I was surprised when she said "... Please leave, or I'll be calling the police," her voice was shaky, she backed up under the table, "I don't have anything of value."

I was tempted to try and explain this situation to her, but I had a better idea - darting forward in a motion she would never be able to see, I slammed the side of my hand into the area that joined her spine and her head. She fell backwards, collapsing onto the ground. Her camisole rode up with the motion, exposing her stomach to the cold. She really shouldn't be sleeping on the ground, even if she was trying to stay cool. She'd catch a cold.

Dream flower pollen should only be used on a person once in a seventeen hour period - it is able to alter any memory from seven to ten hours before use, and is also able to alter emotions slightly. It should also only be used on a person seven times in their life - any more and...well, they may not have a memory anymore. This would be the second time for Ran, the first one being used about eighteen hours prior. Cutting it close, but it should be alright.

"You're not going to remember that incident just then," I started, "You're not going to freak out too much when you find that phone on the counter - you're going to accept it, and call me in the morning..." a moment later, I added, "You're going to feel strongly indebted to me."

Perhaps there _was_ a way to keep an eye on her. It was obvious that she hadn't found a job yet, obvious that she probably would not argue much to anything I gave her.

After that, I went ahead and turned on her utilities - that, at least, would make her feel even more indebted to me. She wouldn't be able to deny anything I asked of her. _Am I seducing her, _ I mused, _or enslaving her?_ Either way works, really.

Tomorrow would be interesting.

**Chapter Three:**

Beware of Lies

It was two rings before the caller hung up - I picked up the phone at the end of the first ring, looked down at the screen for the number at the beginning of the second, and had no chance to answer before the screen went blank. I didn't recognize the number, though that never surprised me. I received a good amount of calls from various people - even someone with a memory like mine couldn't recognize them all.

What seemed like seconds later, the phone rang again - this time, I picked it up, "Hello, Minamino Shuuichi."

A deep breath from the other side of the phone, as if they were preparing to say something, or at least letting me know they were there, and then they hung up. I raised my eyebrows curiously. I wonder.

This time, when they called back, I didn't say anything for several seconds, and neither did they. After I asked "Hello?" there was a loud sigh, as if they had been holding their breath the entire time. About six seconds later, they hung up.

What in the world?

The next time I let it go to the answering machine. My phone beeped when the message was through recording, and then played it over. There was a stunned "EEP!" and then the click of disconnection.

A chuckle; a sigh; and a small shake of my head.

Ah, Ran.

I suppose I should make the ordeal easier on her - the Dream Flower Pollen was probably making her very confused at the moment. Though, I mused, perhaps she's just ... I didn't know how to finish that. Clumsy? Ditzy? Absent-minded? _Special?_ All of the above?

I called back, a little miffed when she answered by yelling "HELLO?" into the receiver. I winced. Maybe she didn't know how to use a telephone, after all?

"...Hello? Sakana Ran?"

A defeated whimper on the other line. "Yes... this is Sakana Ran..."

* * *

><p>I had stepped out for a moment - what felt like a moment, I suppose, for some fresh air. The roof was a nice place to scope for demon energy - a good place to look over the town I had come so protective of. I could, of course, sense the energy of my friends without even trying. They were always there, like a signal my brain was tuned to. Yusuke to the north - Kuwabara to the west. Traces of Hiei here and there, mostly south.<p>

The break was a good one, a long one, a nice moment to clear my head and think life over (which took a while; my life had been a long one so far) but once it was over I knew I had to head back to meet Ran.

I slid down the side of the building carefully, stopping at my office. I pressed my palm against the glass, trying to slid it, only to realize that it was locked. _Strange, _I thought. I didn't remember locking it. Looking through, I saw Ran turn to face me, reacting to the sound of my palm against the glass. Our eyes met.

I couldn't help but smile. I pointed to the lock slowly, and she, wide-eyed and trembling, unlocked the window and opened it. I jumped through nimbly, my smile turning into a smirk as she gasped.

Well. I was in a situation, wasn't I? I couldn't use the Dream Flower Pollen on her, since I had used it last night and it was nowhere _near_ seventeen hours, and there was no way to message Hiei and let him know he needed to erase her thoughts.

I decided to take the situation lightly, making some small talk, and sat in my desk.

"Were...you trying to commit suicide?" I could almost see her brain trying to work out this problem - I could almost see the panic and confusion fighting for a place in her expression.

"Perhaps," I joked, "It _has_ been a long day."

"That's not funny." No, it isn't, is it?

Then I thought, perhaps this was a good thing. Ran was obviously something - her lack of spiritual energy would make her an enigma for Spirit world to solve, anyway. She had already been attacked by demons - she would have to know the Truth eventually. I already knew that being shoved into the world wouldn't work for her - she would panic, like she did with those demons, and shut herself down completely. Small bits at a time could be the key.

"My apologies," I began, "You caught me sneaking out - or, rather, back in. Please, Sakana-san, don't tell anyone about this."

Her reaction would decide how the rest would go. If she made any move to leave, I would immediately knock her out and message Hiei. She narrowed her eyes slightly, and I half-expected her to stand, "I don't think anyone would believe me if I told them you came in from outside the top floor..."

I couldn't help but feel relieved. "Probably not."

Her eyes shifted uncomfortably around the room, "Well... " Her eyes moved to mine carefully, "Before I even start trying to figure out why you called me here, I wanted to say thank you... for everything."

It was definitely the last thing I expected her to say. "It's my pleasure, Sakana-san -"

"Ran," she interrupted, turning a light pink. Her head bowed slightly, and her eyes shifted downwards. For some reason, I couldn't tear my eyes away from her fingers, twirling around each other nervously. "Please," she whimpered, "Just call me Ran."

_She really was like a little girl,_ I thought. It was hard to imagine her as being a woman, really, since she was quite a bit younger than Shuuichi Minamino, not to mention _quite_ a bit younger than Kurama. Her nervousness was cute, I can admit that, but it made the age and maturity difference even sharper in my mind.

That did make it easier to manipulate her feelings, though I felt a little guilty for picking on her now. I explained to her that I wanted her to be my personal assistant - something I made up on the fly last night - and ended my explanation with a simple sentence, "I want you all to myself."

I wasn't sure _why_ I said it; Of course I was trying to force her loyalty, but I could tell from the shade her face turned that it might have been too much.

The second she accepted the job, I rushed her out of the office, slipping 8000 yen in her pocket on a whim.

If seducing her loyalty wouldn't work, I could certainly buy it.

**Chapter Four:**

Dawn of the First Day

"I was curious," Kaitou admitted, "There was something to be had in the publication business, but it looks like I was unsuited for it after all."

I knew he was lying - Kaitou Yuu had tried to best me at everything he could, and running a business had become one of them. "Don't beat yourself up over it, Kaitou. There are days when I regret taking over."

"I can sense demon energy whenever I walk past it -" he shifted, uncomfortable sitting in the traditional style, "that business of yours puts up a nice front, doesn't it?"

Kaitou was uncomfortable around demons and the like, after he had assisted my friends and I with apprehending the psychic Sensui. He had decided, like I had, to avoid using his powers, only using them as a last resort - the difference between us was that he was actually successful. Kaitou's psychic territory had shrunken and then completely disappeared over time, though he still had a keen spiritual awareness. (Nothing like Kuwabara-kun's, of course. I had yet to find a psychic who could match up, other than his sister Shizuru.)

I picked around the fish plate I had ordered, not feeling that hungry. In reality, I was quite tired - Kaitou had called me out of the blue for a meeting, apparently ready to get his company off of his hands and into my lap. I had accepted the merge with grace, because after all I wasn't one to turn down a source of revenue.

"True," I admitted, "it has it's uses. But it's tiring."

"The great Minamino, having problems?" Kaitou was putting on a sarcastic air, but he was worried. I appreciated it, and though I considered him a preferred acquaintance, I could not think of him as a true friend.

"...about you?" My ears twitched as I picked up a familiar voice, "Do you like him?" Natsumi's energy flared in a threat, but whoever she was with didn't react. I could only feel one person with her, and after a mild inspection I could feel Kasumi's energy. The two must be having a personal conversation... I shouldn't eavesdrop.

As I continued listening, a new voice started, "He is attractive, and he does peak my interest a bit..." the voice was meek, nervous, and 100% _not_ Kasumi. "But ultimately, he scares me. Confuses me. Both. I don't know what to think of him, so I've decided to just leave it at that."

Natsumi's energy retreated in satisfaction, Kaitou prattled along about something or another, but I found myself waiting for Ran's next words more than anything else.

"I get the feeling that if I try to uncover his secrets, I'll be devoured by him."

I stiffened, letting out a quick snort and beginning to laugh. Kaitou raised an eyebrow, but I waved him off. "Sorry," I excused, "I picked up a funny conversation."

Kaitou let out an amused sigh, and then checked his watch. "I'll call for the bill. I'm supposed to meet Madoka at the house soon..."

Kaitou had been married to Madoka for almost a year now - the two of them were opposites, and she was a horrible person. She was a control freak, or so I had gathered, and had no real pleasant words or actions to share with her husband.

Strangely, I had never seen Kaitou happier.

"Give her a hello for me," I commented before he left. The girls in the booth behind me had started talking about _types,_ a shojo term I had never really delved into. Sometime in the middle of the conversation, I decided to intervene.

I spent a good amount of time at the Sushi house with the three of them - Kasumi had a habit of knowing where I was and when I needed a break, and this I appreciated.

"Is something bothering you, Ran?" I asked her as I walked her home.

"No, just the wind..." she said it distractedly, as if she wasn't really sure herself.

"Wind? I see..." So, she could feel demon energy a bit, at least. She was probably feeling, not the energy of Kasumi and Natsumi, but their absence. Interesting. "If anything happens, you know you can call me," I said after a while. She looked at me incredibly, so I added, "Even if it's not work related."

"Anything?" Her voice was a mix between curious and cautious.

"Yes," I confirmed, "Is there something on your mind?" I wondered if she had noticed something at the office - maybe she could see through some of the human guises of my employees?

She looked away, pursing her lips in thought, and then back at me, "Can you promise me something?"

I raised an eyebrow and then nodded.

"When you go home... just. Relax for a while. Before you decide to work again. You look worn out, so... whatever you had to talk to Kaitou about must have...been stressful." She blushed, as if just realizing what she was saying, "Whatever. Just. Promise me, okay?"

"I tell you I'll help you with anything, and you tell me to take a break," She was an amusing girl, "Alright, Ran, I promise."

"I don't beleive you," she said immediately, scoffing, "but I'll take it."

"Thank you." I replied as she stepped into her building. I wasn't sure what I was thanking her for, really - taking my word, even though I was lying, worrying about me, or not bringing up that escapade in my office the previous day. Still, I was thankful to her.

I couldn't tell if she had heard me, but when the door began to close I saw her turn to look back at me, her cheeks a stunningly vibrant pink.

With a smile, I turned and walked away. Ah, Ran. You're a child.

**Chapter Five:**

Blood Spills and Cold Chills

Ran called me out on oversleeping in the morning, which was true. I had overslept - but it was her fault, really. In the night she had called me - her voice, shaking, sobbing, and very reluctant.

"I didn't know who...who to call... There's something..." she shrieked, and that was all I needed. I had gotten out of bed, dressed, and waited for her to continue, "They look like - like bugs, but they're... all over!" Another sob, "I don't know, I don't know why I'm calling you, I -"

"It's alright, Ran, I'm on my way."

It wasn't too far of a dash to her apartment, and to my fleeting amusement her door wasn't locked. I opened it and called her name. She answered with a choppy sob.

That's when I really took a look around the room - the walls, the floor, everything, everywhere, _her -_ it was completely covered with demonic insects. Not even one specific kind! There were hundreds, buzzing, crawling, flying...

I can see why she had freaked out - but how could she suddenly see them?

Her spirit energy was blazing! She was surrounded to the point where the white-blue material was visible around her body. It was... astounding. She had almost as much spirit energy as Yusuke had when we had first met - maybe more. This, however, was impossible.

Her body must be trying to wave off the bugs on its own, was the conclusion I came to, her repressed energy had fought its way out of her mind to protect herself, and this was the result. But... Even repressed, this much spirit energy was impossible to hide. Not only that, it didn't feel like _Ran._

I flexed my energy in a burst of red, and the insects dispersed. Ran looked up sharply, and I knew she had sensed my demon energy, too. The wild, confused look lead me to a sigh: This night would end like the others had. From my pocket, I pulled my already ready supply of Pollen.

"It's alright, Ran," I cooed, stepping towards her. She scooted away in a panic, "I'll make this end, I promise."

"I want to go _home,_" she sobbed, "I don't want to be in this place..."

A twinge of guilt in my stomach. I had no real intention of letting her go home. "You spent the whole night watching movies. Your favorite kind, you can decide." I held up the packet of Pollen, and somehow, as her eyes moved from the bag to my face, she understood.

"Romance," she whispered, "I like romantic movies. The cheesy kind."

I took a step closer, and she didn't retreat, "You won't be able to see the bugs until you're ready for it," I told her, "but I can't let you go home yet."

She curled her face into her knees again, her spirit energy finally dwindling down to its usual nothing. I doubted she could see the bugs anymore, anyway. "Why?"

"I have to protect you." It was true in a sense. I had to protect her, and I had to protect those around her, in case she does happen to be a living bomb. Though I was starting to doubt that was the case. Ran was some kind of psychic, that much was certain. But for whatever reason, she was locking her spirit energy away to a place where I couldn't sense it and she couldn't call it.

It was that moment that I remembered when I heard her scream.

I shook her, "Ran, are you alright? Why did you scream?" But I could smell the scent on her already - the demon secretary I had hired, Tanaka. _Childish prank?_

"Ran? Say something."

"Nothing, sir," _sir_ sounded strange coming from her at that moment. Out of place, "I fell... the elevator was moving - it was scary to trip. I lost my sense of direction," the explanation sounded like an excuse, and a bad one.

I sighed, knowing I wouldn't be able to get her to answer me straight, and then dismissed her to a random task. It was hard assigning her work; her position hadn't existed until she was hired, so I wasn't sure what I should let her do - what I could trust her with.

As I turned to walk back into my office, she called my attention. "It's not a good breakfast," she commented as she tossed a honey bun my way. I caught it easily, "Please don't overwork yourself."

Back in my office, eating a honey bun, I turned my computer monitor back on and sent a message to Kasumi, asking her to check Ran's apartment for any more demon insects. Ran didn't live too far from the building, so Kasumi would have no problem going and coming back in an orderly fashion.

An hour or so later, Kasumi and Natsumi came up for lunch - we circled around Ran's desk, and I vaguely amused myself as the two girls fawned over me (Yes, I did feel bad that I would never accept their feelings, but in the case of these two, the affection was decidedly amusing.)

I had begun to notice Ran rubbing her neck everyone and awhile - from time to type an insect would land on her, and I could tell that she could at least feel it, a little. I asked her if something was wrong, and she quickly replied, "No, sir!"

Kasumi and Natsumi, who could clearly see demon insects, both looked at me with raised eyebrows.

"Are you cold?" Natsumi asked sharply.

"Feels kind of warm to me, maybe you're getting a cold?" Kasumi said after Ran confirmed her chills.

"I hope not," Ran smiled a twitchy smile.

It was time to get back to work, I told them this much and they began to leave. Kasumi turned to Ran, and then to me, "You were right. All over."

I nodded, trying not to frown, "Please, take care of yourselves," I politely intoned, and then, when I turned to Ran, "Why is it that every time you say 'sir' you're lying about something, Ran?" It wasn't specifically true, she had called me _sir_ plenty of times before without lying about anything. But I needed her to trust me, so I went with it.

Ran looked back at me, not sure if I was right, judging from the deer-in-the-headlights look in her eyes... I chuckled.

"It's alright, Ran. I want you to trust me, not fear me. If a time comes when you find yourself in over your head, I can help you."

She gave me a skeptical look, and I frowned. "I need to run down to the sixth floor," I decided to leave it at that, "Would you come with me, please?"

We turned to the elevator, and I noticed a shiver of cold run through her body as two or three demon insects landed on her back. Frowning, I pressed my index finger into the middle of her back, and she tensed.

"Something wrong?" I asked, amused at the look of wonder on her face.

"No, Minamino-san." She replied, in a happy, albeit slightly childish voice.

On the sixth floor, I showed her to the meeting room and explained the upcoming meeting to her, briefly. I didn't expect her to completely understand, but I could tell she was trying her best. "Just smile and nod," I had warned her, "Do not talk."

"Yes, Minamino-san."

"Of course, they will try and talk to you. If you need to, you can make some small talk, but for the most part just try to make do with smiles and happy thoughts." I chuckled at the image in my head, "It won't be as bad as I make it sound, I'm sure."

"Yes, Minamino-san."

I frowned.

"What?" She asked, her voice sounded somehow insulted.

It was strange, but I didn't want her to call me _Minamino-san_ anymore - it was like having a little sister who called you by your last name. Since _Onii-san _or _Aniki _were out of the question, however, I decided to say, "You can call me Shuuichi," and then I remembered that I was her boss, "... In private." A part of me, I found, wanted to tell her to call me _Kurama_ instead of Shuuichi. I wasn't sure why.

"Yes...Minamino-san," Ran seemed to be struggling with the name, so I chuckled and let it go.

She had seemed a little confused while I was explaining the premise of the meeting to her, so I decided to go over the notes I had written down for her with her. Pulling a chair up to her desk, I was able to get her to at least understand the very brief explanation. Throughout my tutoring lesson, however, I noted several insects landing on her - one of which, I realized, was an infectious type, not too unlike the species created by a rouge psychic Yusuke had dealt with years ago, who went by the nickname 'Doctor.' I touched my knee to hers and chased the insects away, but they kept coming back. Absentmindedly, I kept bumping knees with her, getting increasingly amused at her reddening cheeks. After a while, I just got tired of it and kept my knee against hers. After that, I was almost certain Ran didn't learn anything else.

I told her it was time to go a few hours later, "Today was easy, Ran. The hard part begins tomorrow, so get some rest," by the bags beginning to form under her eyes, I could tell that she needed it.

"Yes, Mina-"

"Shuuichi," I found myself correcting.

"Yes, Shuuichi," she stammered, bringing back the blush that had only just begun to leave her face. I couldn't help but smile.

"Much better," I commented, "Shall we go?"

An over-eager nod from Ran - she must be dying to escape. "Just let me put my notes in my purse," she said, turning to grab it.

I needed to get some things from my office, too, so I headed that way until I looked over and saw Ran's very startled, very pale face - and then I saw the blood. "Ran! What happened?" She started stammering something, but I ignored whatever it was and grabbed her hand, swiping blood away carefully to see the cut, "It's deep," I noticed, "What happened?"

"I, I don't know. I just reached into my purse, a-and then," the look in her eyes was frighteningly reminiscent of this morning, the glazed semi-dead look of a Ran in pure panic. I was worried that I might have to use the Pollen on her again - but, I realized, it hadn't been enough time since the last time I used it. Close, though. If only it had been two or so more hours.

I grabbed her other hand and pressed it tightly over her bleeding palm, telling her to keep it under pressure, and then grabbed her purse and turned it over onto her desk - make-up, papers, pencils, and pocky clattered against the wooden surface, coupled with several shards of broken glass.

"I-I didn't..."

"No," I said, "I didn't think you did." I grabbed a shard, bringing it to my nose and sniffing it - poison, and not the kind easily found in Living world. "Who would..."

Ran let out a sharp gasp and curled her hand into her chest, bending over in pain. The poison was beginning to react with her body, I surmised, and that would not be a pretty sight. It needed to be handled quickly. I took her hand back from her, running out of options. I was about to summon a plant right then, but then remembered about Ran's already very fragile sanity and said, "Close your eyes."

"What?" she asked, skeptically. I didn't have time to repeat myself, though, so I stared back at her until she obliged.

I could tell from the texture on the seeds I had woven in my hair that I didn't have the right one with me at the time - a shame, because I didn't want to bother with summoning it from the demon plane. I had gone a good while without using my energy, letting it sit on the back burner, only drawing out the faintest bit to chase away bugs for my assistant. However, the burst of energy I let out at that moment was probably felt by every demon in the building - probably in the surrounding area, too. It was like releasing a pent up aggression, and when the seed materialized in my hand, I felt a grim satisfaction when I realized I had just been waiting for the excuse.

Using my energy to feed it, the leech-like plant grew, smelling its own way to the poison. Ran bit her lip, I could imagine she was trying to not cry out in pain as the leech fed on her blood, cleaning it of the poison. When the plant crumbled and died, I used another to heal and close the wound.

Ran let out a sigh of relief when the pain stopped. "You can open your eyes now, Ran," I said carefully. I looked for any signs of panic as her eyes looked down at her palm, and then back to my face. She looked more panicked than I had hoped, but for the most part just confused. I let out the breath I had been holding.

"What was..." she trailed off, furrowing her brows in thought, as if trying to remember something very important, "I didn't know Spiderman could heal people."

It took me a moment to remember who Spiderman was, and then I stared back at her, trying not to laugh. I failed, running a hand through my bangs. I was more relieved at her apparent sanity than I had thought. "I'm not," I laughed under my breath again, "Spiderman, Ran."

"Please!" she exclaimed, "You can scale buildings with ease, heal people, you're some kind of superhero, or something." I didn't want to explain that I had been climbing _down_ the building, and not _up _(which would be possible for me, sure, but unadvisable - especially during the daytime. Normal people would probably see such an action, and I didn't need nor want the attention.)

"Ran..." I grabbed her shoulders when I noticed her shivering, and tilted her face up to look into my eyes. She was starting to panic - it was time for Plan B, "I thought you didn't want to know my secrets."

She stared up at me in confusion for a good minute or so, until suddenly she pushed me away and tried to hide her furious blush with her hands. I knew she had understood then, and couldn't up but smirk as I pulled her hands away from her face, pressing my palms to her cheeks and leaning in close. "Shall I devour you, then?" I teased, leaning in until she closed her eyes. She bit her lip, her blush deepening. I had to admit, with a deep chuckle, that she was very cute at that moment. I pressed my forehead to hers, and then backed away.

She seemed to be having an internal struggle as she started shoving things back into her purse -she dropped things clumsily now and then, but eventually she was ready to leave.

In the elevator, she rushed to the wall and pressed her back up against it like she was trying to avoid something. I pressed the button and then stood next to her, bumping my arm against hers - for two reasons. One, the disgruntled yet pleased look on her face was very amusing, and two, I wanted to make sure that whatever had attacked her in the elevator didn't do so again.

**Chapter Six:**

Cold and Empty

The meeting went smoothly and unchallenging, even after I had left Ran in there to deal with the men alone. I listened with amusement as she defended me.

"What was it Ryuoki-san had said," I leaned against the back of the elevator with my eyes closed, "That I look at them like they're tools?"

Ran let out a huff of air, "They're right, you do." After a few moments, she muttered, "You look at _me_ like that, too..."

I raised an eyebrow at her, wondering if she'd continue with that line of thought, but the rest of the elevator ride was quiet. She stepped four or five steps ahead of me, and then, "I support you...a, and if you want to use me, you can." The words were rushed, and I wanted to see her face but couldn't. I was sure she was red, though. "I'm sorry," she whispered when I didn't respond "I said something pretty strange, didn't I?"

She looked back at me, and once again I felt like she was my little sister and she needed to be praised. I shook my head, "No, Ran, you didn't." I wanted to pat her on the head, but settled with, "I appreciate and value your support more than you know," I was already making plans to use her, now that I had her consent, "I might take you up on that someday."

After teasing her with money - and, really, I couldn't resist, she asked "What now?"

What now, indeed? "I had nothing else planned for the day. I was going to fill out some paperwork, but if you want to go home, Ran, you ca-"

"No."

"No?" I blinked in surprise, "I didn't know you enjoyed my company that much."

"I don't want to go home," Her voice was somewhere between a whimper and a pout.

"Everything alright?" I asked, "Anything...happen?" I was worried that, perhaps, she was able to see the insects again.

"My sister is there."

I laughed, "You don't like your sister?" I surmised. She must be talking about my _bride-to-be, _Kanae. I still needed to find a way out of that, I realized.

Ran then told me about her sister - she had ran away, was disowned...at the end of her speech, I realized that Kanae was definitely not the kind of person I would want to be married to - in fact, I couldn't figure out how the omai was even being held, considering Ran's mother seemed to hate Kanae. But then I remembered that the Sakana family was a very traditional family - Sakana-san must have been grasping desperately at straws for a connection to Shuuichi Minamino.

"... I don't even know how she got into my apartment," Ran pouted.

"You didn't let her in?" I asked in alarm.

"No, she was just sitting at my table when I walked in. I know, I've been locking it before I leave every day since -" She stared at me with meaning, and for a moment I thought she might have remembered the part of that night I had erased with the Pollen, but the childish glare she gave me revealed that she did not. I laughed, and that seemed to make her pout even more.

Ran asked again if there was anything I had for her to do, and I shrugged, "There are a few things you could help me with, I'm sure -"

The elevator doors opened with a chime, and that was when I sensed his energy. I was surprised that I hadn't sensed it before - But, then, I wasn't expecting him to show up, nor to show up in an elevator. Usually, he'd just come through the window. I commented on this, "Hiei," I greeted, "A surprise to see you use the elevator."

"I sensed something strange," he looked over to Ran and then back to me, "So I was following it. It lead me here."

_Ah,_ "Yes, well..." I looked over at Ran, noticing with surprise that she was shaking violently, a pale, frightened look in her eye. Hiei's energy must be too much for her at this point - it would help if he didn't let it rush out like that, but Hiei was never one for hiding, "If you would please go and get us some tea, Ran."

"Yes, Minamino-san," she nodded and then rushed towards the elevator. I led Hiei into my office, locking the door behind us. I heard the elevator open and close, and then sat down. Hiei stood, leaning against my door, seeming like he didn't want to take too long.

"Tea will be unnecessary," he confirmed.

"Yes, well, that was more for her sake than yours. You could try to keep your energy under check around humans, Hiei."

"I'm not here to be scolded, Kurama."

"Yes, you said you sensed something?" I asked in amusement. "In the elevator?"

"I was following a _trail,_" he emphasized.

"I didn't even know you knew how to work an elevator, Hiei. You're making great strides when it comes to technology," he glared at me, and I tried not to laugh, "Sorry, sorry."

"I didn't peg you as one to keep humans as pets," he commented, trying to insult me through Ran. A tactic I didn't expect to work, but I felt protective of her, as if Hiei were trying to bully my little sister on the playground. In terms of relative ages, they were about matched. Actually, in comparing lifespans, she was "older" than Hiei - though his maturity for being alive almost a hundred years made up for the gap.

"A work assistant," I brushed his comment off, "though she seems to have some repressed spirit energy. I am unable to sense any from her."

Hiei's eyes narrowed, "I sensed plenty - frankly, Kurama, though it's not my business who you mate with, you should choose someone more capable to defend themselves, especially with the kind of target _you_ make."

I blinked several times, trying to process this, "Hiei," I said finally, "I can assure you that Ran is... _not_ my mate." I mulled it over for another second or two, "You're not _jealous, _are you?"

"Shut up," he replied harshly.

I laughed, "Should I be fearing for my life? Will Mukuro be stopping in to kill me?"

Hiei looked away, embarrassed, "She has better things to do."

"That trail you were following," I changed the subject, "Where did it lead you?"

"The smell was coming from your... _assistant._ She smells like a demon."

"Impossible," the thought was incomprehensible, "Ran is, and trust me on this, 100% human."

"I can tell," Hiei agreed, "But she smells like _you._ You said you couldn't sense her energy, but maybe that's because you're too used to sensing yourself."

I frowned, "I can't think of any reason why she would smell like me." I finally concluded.

Hiei looked at me pointedly, and suddenly his comment about Ran being my mate made a little more sense.

"Hiei," I said slowly, "Ran and I have never had sex. It would be impossible for her to have my scent mixed in with hers."

Hiei believed me, but that didn't seem to ease his troubles. "Several demons have passed over the border through unauthorized portals. She smelled like one of them, too."

"Strange," was the only conclusion I could come up with. Hiei moved to the window behind my desk and opened it. "Not going to use the elevator, Hiei?"

"Hmph. This way is quicker."

Ran returned shortly after, and looked from me to the window. She set the canned tea down, shaking her head. "I'm going home after all," she said, turning on her heel and walking back the way she came. As I was laughing, I took careful note of what I could sense from her - no spirit energy, of course, but in the mix of nothing it seemed like bits of my own energy flared back at me.

Strange indeed.

**Chapter Seven:**

Do what now?

It wasn't a hard decision, really. I didn't want to marry Kanae, and after hearing Ran talk about her, I didn't even want to go through the formality of an omai. I knew that it would make my mother happy, and in these last months that's all I could ask for, but somehow it just didn't seem...

"Actually, mother," I said over the phone. We were planning to go out for lunch in an hour or two, and she had called to confirm our plans. "There's something that I wanted to ask you about."

"Anything, Shuuichi," she said genuinely.

"Well..." I started, nervous for some reason, "I wanted to talk to you about that omai."

She giggled, probably guessing where I was going with this. She knew I wasn't interested in marriage.

"... Well," I said again, "I don't want to go through with it. Could you call Sakana-san and cancel?"

I knew she wouldn't say no to me, but she still let out a sigh of disappointment. A pang of guilt formed in my chest for all three parties, "Why not, Shuuichi? The meeting, at least."

"Mother..." I trailed off, "It's just that my girlfriend wasn't too pleased to hear that I was going to an omai. She's quite cross with me at the moment."

A moment of silence - a minute of silence - two minutes of silence. I was worried that Shiori may have fainted. "You... have a..."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, Mother," I apologized, "But I was... embarrassed."

"It's... alright, Shuuichi. How long have you two been...?"

"A few months now," I lied, the guilt coming back, "I didn't want to tell you because...well, she's a little younger than me."

I could feel her worry, "How much younger?"

_A few hundred years, give or take,_ "Six or seven years."

"Oh, that's not too bad..." I wondered how big of a gap she had been expecting, "So tell me about her! When will I be able to meet her?"

"Soon, hopefully," I just had to let Ran know that I was using her like _this,_ "She's a very nice girl mother," there was one more thing I had to let her know about Ran, "She was a little disturbed when I told her that the omai was with Sakana Kanae, however."

"Oh? Why?"

"She wasn't enthused with me marrying her sister."

Mother was silent again, and I supposed it was because she was going into shock over my having turned her life into a soap opera. "Oh..."

"Her mother doesn't allow her to date," I said quickly, "So, please don't bring this up with Sakana-san."

"I..." she trailed off, distractedly, "...won't. If she makes you happy, Shuuichi..." She was probably going over the conversation we had about Ran earlier, when she had said that she was glad it was Kanae I was meeting with, and not Ran. She probably felt embarrassed now.

_I'm sorry, mother, _I thought as we said goodbye, _but I think you'll be happier with Ran than Kanae._

Tomorrow I would have to let Ran know about this situation. It shouldn't be too hard to convince her, considering she already said I could use her. She probably wasn't thinking it would turn out this way, though.

As I started to get ready, however, a sharp pain in my chest had me collapsing. It was as if something were pulling me - a strange sensation, as if someone - some_thing_ - were calling to me. But it was strange - it was wrong. I stood, looking around hurriedly. Nothing was in my apartment - the tugging seemed like it was coming from elsewhere. It was like a mass of energy - pulling my own energy toward it.

Minutes later I was in my car, driving to find the source. I had thought about going on foot, but I didn't want to look conspicuous* so I chose the slower way. I would be able to comb through the city easier this way, too.

But it didn't take long for me to follow to the source - I could see a mass of spirit energy from my car. I parked, stepping out but not needing to go farther. I couldn't understand - or beleive - what I was seeing.

Ran stood on a walkway, looking down at her hands, and then back out at the street. She probably didn't realize it herself, but at that moment several things clicked into place for me: Her lack of sprit energy, the insects being pulled to her, my energy mixed with hers -

_Oh._

Our eyes met as I sensed several demons heading this direction - I could see people looking this way, wondering what they had felt (budding psychics themselves, I was sure) I couldn't waste time explaining the situation. I tossed her into the car and sped off, despite her mild protests.

She seemed miffed when I asked her to be quiet, but that didn't last for long: Soon she was gazing excitedly out of the window, her eyes gleaming like a little kid. Perhaps she was too young for a pretend-girlfriend. Oh well. Too late now.

"Where are we?" she had asked as I parked.

"My apartment complex."

"Okay. Why?"

I turned a smile on her, "I just thought it would be a better place to talk than in the middle of the street. Follow me, if you would."

She didn't at first, but let out an aggravated sigh and then begun trailing behind. "So when do we start talking? Because we're going to be late for work in about three seconds."

"Ran," I said, shaking my head, "It's Sunday."

"So?"

We stepped into my apartment, and she looked around curiously for a few moments before I asked if she wanted anything to drink. At this point, I wasn't sure what I would do - mother would be here soon, and frankly there were a lot of things I had to ask Ran. I wanted to just lock her up for a while and question her when I got back from lunch, but I had a feeling that Ran wouldn't like that very much.

Instead of answering my question, she prattled off her own list, "How did you know where I was? Why did you just - kidnap me? _And why aren't you at the office?"_

I started with the easy one first, "Ran, it's Sunday," I repeated, "I already have some tea made. Sit down," she did, "Did you not know that the office was closed on Sundays?" I passed her cup to her, and she held it carefully. I admired the way her hands curled around the cup for a split second before she grudgingly replied.

"I didn't even know today _was_ Sunday..."

I laughed, imagining Ran walking to work and the automatic doors not opening. I wondered if she would realize, or if she would just walk straight into them. "What would you have done when you got there and the doors were locked?"

"Panic! And then remember that your window is unlocked." I was surprised by her answer, but before I could comment on her casual response, she continued, "This tea is... very good."

It was my own blend - a mix of many herbs, some only found in Demon world, and some honey. I had milk in mine, but hers was straight, "Thank you."

I finished my tea and then looked up - Ran was staring at me, curiously.

With a sigh, I decided to get this over with, "Ran. What did you do?"

She sighed as well. "I don't know, I really don't." I could definitely believe that, "But now that I know that whatever is happening to me is probably connected to whatever _you_ have going on," she gestured to me with a wave of her hand, "I don't even want to know."

"And what _is_ happening to you?"

She sighed again, "I don't know."

I frowned impatiently, "You could try and explain."

"I could," She admitted, and then looked away. "But I'd rather not relive the whole _kidnapping _thing."

"You're being difficult today, Ran." I imagined that this really _was_ what having a sister was like -petulance and frustration.

There was a battle in her eyes, and I knew she didn't want to think that she was disappointing me, "Okay," she said, defeated, "What do you want to know?"

I had her start from the beginning - she mentioned a cold wind, the attack in the elevator, the overwhelming, dreadful feeling she got from being around Hiei - and then this morning, how she was able to see the light around herself and others. _Strange, _I thought, _I didn't think she'd be able to see her own energy, considering the lack of it._ She seemed very calm and relieved when she was finished, but I on the other hand, was slightly troubled.

It was time to see if she could handle the truth. "Ran, what you saw on the crosswalk is what we call _Spirit Energy,_" I had a packet of Dream Flower Pollen in the jacket hanging on the wall, just in case this went bad, "It exists in all humans..." I explained the same about demons as well, and she listened with interest, "It is an impressive feat for out to be able to see the spirit energy of normal humans so well, especially since your psychic abilities are just developing. Usually, you would only be able to sense the spirit energy of those who have an excess amount of it surrounding them," Yusuke popped into my mind, and I knew I wanted an excuse to see if she could sense him. I would have to take her for ramen someday soon.

"So..." she started after a while. Her eyes were calm, and there were no signs of panic. That was a good sign. "The cold feeling I've been feeling is... spirit energy?"

I thought for a moment. "That depends. You said the energy you had felt at the crosswalk was different than any energy you had felt before, right?" She nodded.

"It wasn't as scary... it felt." She pursed her lips, "It was cold, but warm. It kind of... felt like..." she couldn't find the ample words to describe it, so she sighed, "Like it was natural. Like home."

"Like home," I smiled, remembering Kuwabara-kun describing it the same way, "But the other energy you felt before wasn't." This is where I was afraid Ran would lose it, so I had to tread carefully, "I believe you had been feeling demon energy, Ran."

"Demons... demons can't be real."

I could understand her skeptism, "Sometimes life hides things from us... the existence of demons is hidden from the normal populace, but there are people who know. Like me, like Hiei... Kasumi, and Natsumi."

"Are they...psychic, too?" _Hardly._

"I understand that this is a lot to deal with just out of the blue, Ran. I didn't want you to have to find out... but it was bound to happen eventually." Her spirit awareness would only increase around me, after all. "I hate to ask you this, but do you think you could show me?"

"Show me what?" she asked, as if she had forgotten what we had been talking about this whole time.

"What you were doing before I came and got you," I reminded her gently.

"Why?" the thought bothered her, I could tel.

"Please Ran." I wasn't really asking.

"Alright..." she murmured hesitantly, and then closed her eyes.

Nothing happened. She sat there for a while with a look of intense concentration on her face, but nothing came of it. Seconds later, that pulling sensation was back - at this close of range, it was painful. I could see the red of my energy being pulled into her - I was able to make a clear hypothesis now. "That's enough," my voice was sharper than I meant it to be, but perhaps that was a good thing. "Never do that again, Ran, not unless I am with you. Do you understand?"

"Y, yes, Minamino-san."

I brushed away my disappointment when she didn't call me Shuuichi, "Good." I smiled, trying to set her back on ease. It didn't work.

"Why?" she whispered, "I have no plan to do it again, anyway, but why are you so upset about it?"

"I wasn't upset, Ran," I replied gently, hoping to sooth her anxiousness. "It's just.. Ran, when you were trying to sense energy, you were drawing it to you, instead. Like a magnet. At the center of all of the gathering energy is you."

I assumed it was her body's way of compensating for the lack of energy - instead of generating her own spirit energy, she borrowed the energy of others. Being around me all the time, and my bursts of energy to chase away the insects probably didn't help. The bugs were probably drawn to her because she was doing it on a small scale unconsciously.

"I can understand that. But why is that bad?"

Oh boy. "Ran, some demons... eat humans." I paused at the expression on her face - mild panic. "The more spirit energy a human has, the more a demon can absorb from devouring it. Now, if you were a demon and you happened to come across a human with a mass of spirit energy surrounding her, what would you do?"

"Eat her?" she asked numbly.

I nodded to confirm, "If I hadn't been there, if I hadn't found you, a demon would have , and..." I decided to stop there. "Well, I'll leave you to guess the rest."

She was shaking, licking her lips in thought, "I think..." she started, closing her eyes, "I think I'm done talking about this, Minamino-san."

"I understand, Ran," and I did, "If anything happens, call me immediately."

A light clicked in her eyes as she frowned, "Huh," she snorted, "You know, you've been telling me that since I've met you - just how long have you known about my ... ability?"

I shrugged, chuckling, "It's easier to tell if humans are psychic the more used to it you are. You'll understand eventually."

"I don't really want to understand," she said weakly, "I just want to forget any of this happened ever."

I couldn't begrudge her that. I wanted to protect her, but I felt like I could still use her around. After some thought, "If that's what you really want, Ran... it can be arranged."

"What do you... No," she shook her head wildly, "No, I might have said it, but I didn't want it, I don't want to forget anything, I -"

"It's okay Ran," I muttered, guiltily, "just know that the choice is there. If you want it."

She asked where my bathroom was, and after some falling and minor head injuries, she made her way to and from the restroom - while she was gone, I retrieved the packet of Pollen, just in case; I wanted it nearby - after a little more talking, consisting of mostly my telling her not to pursue her powers at the moment. I expected Mother to show up any moment, and at this point there was no helping but letting Ran know that she was my girlfriend.

"I'm going back to Kyoto," she murmured before I could say anything, "I... I don't want this. This is too much. I'm just... going to go home. Get married. Peacefully."

"Ran..." I started, but she cut me off.

"I'm very grateful," she said, "Don't get me wrong, I owe you more than I can really put into words. You... probably saved my life today. I would have been demon chow."

I smiled, "Yes... I do understand that. I can make arrangements for you, if you wish."

She shook her head, "I'll figure something out. My brother would probably come pick me up... "

I sighed. There was nothing else I could do. I felt bad, of course, but I still needed her. I needed to watch her, protect her, and, as she had offered, to use her. When she turned her head to the window to watch the street down below, I emptied the contents of the packet into her drink. Minutes later, after she had finished her tea, the glass dropped and shattered as her head fell against the cabinet.

"You're going to forget about wanting to go back to Kyoto," I began with the first list on my worries, "You're going to take this whole situation in stride, but at your own pace. You're going to be fine, Ran... And, when my mother mistakes you as my girlfriend, you're going to go along with it."

* * *

><p>"Are you?" she asked.<p>

"Am I, what?"

"Attached. To anyone, that is." She looked away, blushing.

"No," I said simply, not in the mood to elaborate. Lunch had been nice until the end, when I had excused Ran and myself by saying I had paperwork to do. I did, of course, but had no immediate plans to do it.

Ran's face fell, and she looked away. "Good," she grumbled after a while, "As your fake girlfriend, that would make me horribly, horribly jealous."

I couldn't resist the urge to laugh, "I have enough jealousy floating around already - that would be bad."

"Why am I not surprised?" She giggled.

"Do you, Ran?" I wondered.

"Do I what?" Once again, she had forgotten what the conversation was about.

"Have anyone that you're attached to?"

"Yes." Her answer was clear and strong, and I was a little surprised - and guilty. If she already had someone, perhaps it was unjust of me to be using her this way. Still, there was that pang of brotherly defense and worry.

"Who, if I may ask?"

"I don't know," I blinked, "But we're attached, by a small red string. Someone. Out there. You know." Her hands waved off in some gesture, "Fate. And whatnot." I said nothing in response, so she continued, "There is someone waiting for me, like I am waiting for them. I don't know them now, and they don't know me, but someday, eventually -"

Perhaps it was my general bad mood, or maybe it was my real feelings on the matter, but I interrupted her with, "People die alone, Ran. My father died alone, my mother will die alone, I will die alone... you will, too. Dying is a very selfish, lonely act. But everyone does it."

The look on her face was like I had just kicked her in the stomach. She looked as if she wanted to say something, but couldn't. "I'll drive you home, Ran."

She stepped out of the car as soon as I had stopped in front of her apartment. Looking into my eyes, she said, "I don't want to die alone, Shuuichi."

_Nor do I,_ "I don't think anyone wants it."

There were dozens of people in the area surrounding us, walking and living their own lives, but at that moment I felt alone with Ran. "We could die alone together," she said.

I had to laugh. I wasn't sure what I would do if I didn't.

**Chapter Eight:**

僕の妹

* * *

><p><strong>AN:<strong>

* He says that, but it's just because he doesn't want people to see him in his pajama-ramas. :|

... it... it's out? G...good god.

This chapter - these chapters, I should say, are well over 20,000 words all together.

Those of you who are still angry that I haven't updated until now, please exit the ride in a calm and orderly fashion while I rev up the chainsaw.

In "Chapter One," when Kurama is asking his mother for Ran's name, he calls her Lanu - probably assuming her name was written in hiragana as らぬ, yet Romanized "Lanu" - in reality, "Ran" is written in hiragana as らん. The Kanji used for Ran is 蘭, which means Orchid, a type of flower... which I thought would fit well with Kurama... *cough.*

Before going with 蘭, I was really just going to keep her name written generically in hiragana...

I make personal jokes that I should change the Kanji for her name from 蘭 to 乱, which translates loosely to "a rebellion" - I thought it would show her feelings towards her mother and family life quite well... however, I don't think a parent would knowingly bestow such a name onto their child OTL.

As for Sakana, I had a few choices - the easy one, 魚 which is just one kanji - meaning fish - or one of several more. I went with 坂名 dividing "Saka" and "Na" into two different kanji. The first one, 坂 means a slope, or a hill. I thought it was fitting for Ran because her life is kind of like mountain climbing. Extreme highs, or extreme lows... I figure it can also work for the family history, which I will explain in other chapters, so it ties in with the second kanji: 名、meaning "Name, fame," which suited the family as a whole, or at least her mother's perception of it. So her name written out in full kanji is 坂名蘭. I think the way the kanji looks even suits her. But that's just me.

I wanted to find a way to use 差 (Sa) and 勘 (Kan) instead of the other two, honestly, but I would have had to jam another kanji into it for the "A," and really... three is a crowd. But, 差 is "difference, gap" and I figured it could symbolize the gap between her personal status, and Kurama's/the rest of her family's, where as 勘 is "Intuition, sixth-sense," and I think that one is self-explanatory. I still wish I could have used these. I think I'll throw it in as a pun later.

Kurama's human surname - Minamino - is an old name and has an air of... how do you say it... not exactly aristocracy, but... well-known...ness? I don't know. I want the kanji I use for "Sakana" to kind of give off that feel - I feel like the use of 名 does this well enough... I hope so.  
>As for the chapter title, Boku no Imoto (僕の妹) it means...<p>

; v ; "My little sister"

I use 'boku' because it's in Kurama's point of veiw, and I wanted to show that he thought of Ran like a little sister... not very romantic, huh?  
>Okay. Enough about Kanji (I don't even know if FFNet will let kanji show up. If it doesn't, I'll just post the explanation somewhere else and link it or something...)<p>

This was in Kurama's point of view - I feel like did fairly well to explain some of the things that were just confusing in Ran's eyes, such as the knee-bumping and the everything else imaginable. There were a lot of changes! But, at the same time, you guys know this story already, right? Riiight?

SO! Dream Flower Pollen! Those of you who have read some of my other stuff (Such as "Somebody Told Me" on this account) might have realized that it is my favorite plot device. Ever. Some people picture Kurama with a rose, some with a rose whip, others with creepy-toguro eating plants, but for me it's allll about the pollen, baby.

Ran can have the pollen used on her seven times in her whole life - seven! What will happen if it reaches eight? Or, more importantly, how will you be able to tell if the Dream Flower Pollen (or, DFP) has been used on her at all? Ohohohoho~~  
>And, I will let you know right here right now that by the end of the series, all seven doses will be used. It's up to you to decide when, where, and how - because I will never be writing from Kurama's perspective again. That guys a dick.<p>

For a life update... it's going well... to be more grammatically correct: "It's, well, going." I haven't had as much time to write as I wish I did - work is... well. Damn. Work. I am enjoying it immensely, but there is a lot of drama. It's funny, considering everyone else I work with happen to be older ladies, who have been out of high school for a long time... Whereas, I, who just got out of high school in June (2011) cause less drama than them... v Oi. Still, a job's a job's a job - and I'm actually happy to be working.

As for internet... soon! I will have it soon! Very soon! And then I'll be ONLINE! SKYPE! YAHOO! AIM! The whole nine-yards.

But until then... Seeya!


	9. Closer to You

"_Mother-" _I sighed, once again getting cut off as a string of complaints came from my phone, "Look, I-"

Kanae watched as I paced around the living room, trying to think of words to say to calm our mother down. I wasn't sure what had gotten her so upset in the first place, since I hadn't said anything before she had started berating me - She must have had something else happen and was taking her anger out on me. Great.

"I don't understand why you won't just come home, Ran," she practically hissed at me, "you're wasting your time there, much older and I can't guarantee a good husband for you -"

"_Mother,"_ I started again, but she would have none of that. I was going to be late for work if this kept up. I said as much but she just ignored it and kept ranting.

"This is getting painful," Kanae muttered under her breath from the couch. I had to agree but there was nothing I could do about it - Mother was Mother, and despite how condescending she could be I couldn't be cruel to her, it would break her heart.

"I want you to come home Ran, and this isn't for debate. God knows you'll end up like your sister - for all anyone knows she's _dead in a ditch_ somewhere, on who knows what kind of drugs, or pregnant with some bastard's bastard -"

"_Mother. _Don't talk about her like that!" I was shocked that she would say such things to me, usually she kept this kind of venom about Kanae to private circle gossips. "She's your _daughter,"_ I chastised before I could stop myself.

"No, she is not," and at that I looked over at Kanae, and I could tell she had heard that. Her expression was rather cold, but not surprised. "And she's not your sister, either, she's a bad influence! You're going to end up just like her if you continue down this road -"

"I have to go to work, Mom -"

"Would you listen to me for once, you ungrateful - after everything I've done for you -"

Kanae snatched the phone from my hands then, I hadn't even noticed her get off of the couch. I tried to get it back before she said anything, knowing that if Mother figured out Kanae was staying with me things would go downhill quickly.

"For the record this will be the last time I talk to you," Kanae said calmly, "so you're going to want to shut the hell up and listen."

"_Kanae?" _Mother practically screeched, "What are you -"

"_I said shut the hell up. _How _dare_ you treat Ran like this, she's not some little girl. You want to insult me, do it all you want but treat Ran with respect because she _deserves _it. You act like she's some bad girl for just wanting to get out of that damned house but you know what? You? Father? Your family? You're all poison, and I for one will make sure Ran never has to deal with you again."

"_Kanae -" _I tried to reach for the phone again but Kanae was pushing be back with her free hand.

"You are just as ungrateful as your brother, you little witch," Mother replied, and the words left me confused. I had two brothers, one, Hiro, was about four, and my older brother, Tsukasa, was her golden boy - he had married one of our neighbors and stayed home, raising their kids. She couldn't be talking about him.

"Yeah? Good, you bitch, I hope when the twins grow up they realize how horrible of a person you are and get away from you as soon as possible, I hope you die alone and cold," that's a little harsh, Kanae, "I'll be taking care of Ran now, so don't worry about her. Don't call her. Don't even think about her." She hung up the phone and tossed it to me, and immediately I started yelling:

"What the _hell _Kanae?! You can't just - just - disown me to her like that! What the hell are you thinking?!" I had to find a way to clear this up with Mother, but it would take time. God damn it, I should never have let Kanae stay here. I wanted to tell her to leave, but she had no where to go right now. I grabbed my purse and stormed out of the door without saying another thing to her. I was furious.

Yes, Mother had some issues with the way she treats others. But that's just how she _is. _I can't fault her for that. But if I went with that logic, how could I fault Kanae, either? She had been given the shortest end of the stick here. And for what? Doing what I did? Leaving? But I hadn't been disowned like Kanae had, so what was the difference between us?

I was late to work, and the new receptionist - or rather the old one who had come back from medical leave - waved me over. Masaki was a really nice person, the difference between her and Tanaka-san was almost astounding. "Are you alright?" She asked, "You're rather late, nothing happened?"

"No," I sighed, "my mom and I got in an argument, and it didn't end too well. I should probably go up. He's not mad or anything?"

"Just worried, I'll IM him to let him know you're here," she smiled warmly, "I hope your issues get worked out, you're usually so cheerful Ran," see? She's sickening sweet.

"Thank you, Masaki. Is Natsumi here today? I have her DVD..." The romantic comedy she had lent me was superb, nothing less from the one person as disgustingly romantic as I am. I had brought one of my favorites to lend to her, as well.

"She is, I'll let her know," and with that I waved goodbye and headed towards the elevator. When it dinged, Shuuichi was laying a few folders on my desk. I quickly bowed and apologized for my tardiness.

"It's alright, Ran," but I could tell that it wasn't, "I admit I was worried you may have gotten attacked or something on the way to work. Next time you're going to be late, let me know."

"Yes, Minamino-san," I sighed, frowning. Of course I knew what he meant when he said _attacked -_ as in, eaten by demons. I had been slowly accepting the fact that they exist, but God help me sometimes I wish I didn't know. "But there should be no problem with that unless I go doing the energy thingy, right?"

"Probably not," he let a small smirk cross his face for a brief moment, "but its better to be safe than sorry. There shouldn't be too much there for you to do, Ran, and we have a few meetings today. You remember which powerpoint goes where?"

"The meeting with accounting gets A-B1 first, and A-C1 second, and I tweaked the second slide on A-B2 because the wording was a little more complex than necessary - you need to stop doing that, by the way - and uhh, the export Powerpoint is for the HR people, right?"

"Sounds right, and I noticed you changed the wording," he didn't hide the grin this time, "I apologize for my advanced vocabulary."

I snorted, "there's no need to use the word _anomalistic _and _cynosure_ in a Powerpoint slide that will be up all of five seconds, Shuuichi." I had to look them up, but I didn't want to tell him that. "I don't see why we can't just name them _accounting 1, accounting 2,_ and so on, that would be a lot easier."

"I don't question it," he shrugged, "they go through a few versions of each before deciding on a final one, chances are they go by letter systems to make that a little easier. Either way, you have it memorized already so can't be too difficult, right?" he had this smug look on his face that made me want to just smack him.

He went back into his office shortly to let me work on my pile of files. Most of it had become rather mindless over the last few weeks, and I found myself letting my mind wander a bit. Last week we ate with Shiori again. She seems to be getting sicker and sicker, it's hard to watch. I haven't known her long, but I can tell that she is a very kind, loving woman. Her pride in Shuuichi is apparent with everything she does, and I found myself getting a little jealous. I wonder if Shuuichi realizes how lucky he is to have a mother like that.

I felt a little bitter about thinking that way...

It's sad to see how Shiori's illness is affecting Shuuichi. I can tell it's hitting him pretty hard, but he won't open up about it - not that I'd ever expect him to, at least to me. I do hope that being his fake girlfriend is giving her a little peace.

I was still really upset with Kanae and I'm sure it showed. Shuuichi gave me my space for most of the morning and that left me to sort my thoughts. The first meeting went pretty good, we were trying to establish some new procedures that Kasumi suggested to make the accounting department a little more stable. She pretty much ran the meeting, and she had so much charisma that she kept everyone's attention very well. I was a little jealous, I doubted I could ever speak in front of a large group like that without falling and maiming myself.

I admit I was jealous for another reason - Shuuichi kept his eyes on her most of the time she was up there. He seemed proud. I wished he would look at me like that.

After the meeting was lunch, and we all had decided to go out for sushi today. I was pretty happy with this, as last time I hadn't been able to pay for myself but now that I was making money I could. It made me feel really good to support myself, despite Mother thinking I was wasting my time. I was having a good time here, I could afford to live on my own. Sure, there was the whole psychic thing and my entire world view being shaken with the thought that big, ugly demons could come eat me at any moment, but still better than living with her.

So I guess I can't really be mad at Kanae, or at least, not as mad as I had been. She was looking out for me, and I know it was the better choice. Not to mention, Mom went too overboard with the way she had talked about Kanae.

"Everything okay, Ran?" Kasumi asked me eventually. It was then I noticed I had barely touched my plate. I picked up a roll and bit into it before responding.

"Yeah, just a little family drama," I said, hoping it would be left at that. I rubbed at my shoulder, "hopefully it won't last too long."

Kasumi frowned, exchanging looks with Natsumi worriedly. "Nothing too bad? Do you want to talk about it?"

I shook my head and politely declined. While I did want to talk about it, it wouldn't solve anything. It would probably just make me even more stressed out about the whole situation. The whole day felt like it was passing in an annoying daze, really. I wished it would just be over with.

I feel like the others noticed because for the most part they left me alone, it wasn't until after the last meeting of the day that Shuuichi engaged me in conversation, and even then I wasn't too into it (even though I'm usually into everything he says.)

"Am I allowed to ask what happened with your family?" he eventually inquired, leaning against his desk while I stood at the doorway to his office. From the window I could see the movement of clouds, slow but sure across the blue sky. The light hit him in all the right ways, and I found myself once again admiring his appearance.

I was still wondering if I should try to pursue him romantically or keep as safe distance here in normal-land.

"It's really nothing, just my mom and sister arguing and putting me in the middle to do so," I muttered, messing with my hair a bit. "Kanae pretty much told my mom that I wanted nothing to do with the family anymore, and that she wouldn't let me either. "

"I see... And how do you feel about that, Ran? Would you rather nothing with your family at all?"

"I don't know," I stammered, "I mean, I do love Mother, she has her moments where she's kind and loving, but since Kanae left she's just been getting meaner and meaner. Well, since before then, really. I have no idea what happened to her. I just..." I trailed off, trying to find the words, "She puts a lot of expectations on me because Kanae left and I somehow feel obligated to make up for that loss."

It felt weird for Shuuichi to ask me about this kind of stuff. Sure, there were times where he had shown concern before but usually he would have dropped it by now. I found myself thinking for some reason that maybe he cared. I wanted him to, at least. Perhaps he was more worried about my drama affecting his image, as his fake girlfriend.

"You're not though," he told me, moving to pat me on the head. My entire body seemed to get hotter, and I'm sure my face was as red as it could get. "You understand that, right? You don't need to please anyone but yourself."

_I wouldn't mind pleasing you,_ I caught myself thinking, and left out a snort at the thought, "you're not going to tell me you hold yourself to that standard, right? You, who spend the night here more often lately than at your apartment?"

"I'm not the focus here, Ran," but when wasn't he my focus lately? Between being his assistant and his fake-girlfriend and _whatever_ I was in between that he was _always_ the focus. He had to know that.

Dammit. I really liked him.

I decided to save revelations on my personal feelings for later – I couldn't deal with that stuff now. "I don't want to be the focus right now, _either," _I said pointedly, leaving his office. He followed me out, turning off the lights and closing his door. Perhaps he did intend to actually go home tonight, and that thought set my mind at ease (in the thought that I wouldn't have to spend tonight worrying about him, at least.)

He sighed, "fair enough. But I _do _worry about you, Ran. You don't need to be so critical on yourself."

I slung my purse over my shoulder and gave him a small shrug but no other real response, and we quietly rode the elevator to the lobby. Masaki was also gathering her things to leave, as the building was about to be locked until Monday morning, when she saw us. "Careful on your way home, Ran, its raining!"

Sure enough a hard rain poured down and I found myself surprised that I hadn't noticed the sound of it earlier. Perhaps I was too involved in my own thoughts. I frowned, chastising myself for not checking the weather _or_ bringing an umbrella. Pitifully, I glanced over at Shuuichi. He laughed at the pleading look. He agreed to give me a ride and I started to feel bad for disregarding his worries earlier.

* * *

><p>We had ended up stopping at the ramen shop that was growing in familiarity to me. This time, the stand was closed so they were working inside the diner along side who I had come to realize were Keiko's parents. She looked a lot like her mother, who kept fawning over Keiko's expecting belly. It was very clear to me how comfortable everyone here was with each other – I wasn't surprised about Yusuke, since it turned out he and Keiko were childhood friends, but apparently Shuuichi had been around Yusuke long enough that he was considered family, too. I felt that pang of jealousy again, trying not to dwell on family issues. This was the first time in a while we had gone out to eat without Shiori, but we still weren't alone. Still, I wanted to savor this, not muddle it up with negative thoughts.<p>

The way he used his chopsticks was very fluid and seemed highly practiced. Whereas sometimes I was sometimes clumsy with them despite being raised in a very traditional household. It was something I often got yelled at for, which only made it worse. I found myself wanting to emulate the way he held them gracefully, but resisted because I was sure it would be obvious what I was doing. I felt silly regardless; I didn't want to take my eyes off of him today. He filled my mind with only him when he was around, and that gave me some peace against my other problems.

I had thought I was being somewhat sneaky, but at some point Yusuke caught me staring. I knew he knew about the whole "fake girlfriend" thing, so the look of pity he gave me before averting his gaze was cutting. He wanted to say something about it, I knew, but he hadn't, even after Keiko's parents had retired for the evening. Instead him and Shuuichi carried on a conversation about another friend of theirs, who was supposed to visit from out-of-town sometime.

I was usually quiet when we went out places, and tonight was no different. I had no place with his friends so I just picked at my ramen and thought about other things. I was still trying to ignore family drama, so I forced myself to think about one of my romantic dramas – an older one that I had seen many times. In it, the girl falls in love with someone much older than her and he uses her for her devotion – she's eventually snapped out of it by a handsome younger man who happens to love her without their relationship being developed too much in the movie. It was cute, but looking back it was stupid. It used to be one of my favorites but it gave me a bad taste now.

I had worked for Shuuichi for almost two months now, and while we had a decent rapport and he knew a lot about me, when it came to him I was mostly in the dark. _I want to get closer to you, _I thought towards his direction cheesily, but I knew it was useless. Aside from Yusuke here – and maybe Hiei, though I tried not to think about him too much – I doubted anyone actually _knew_ him. I doubted I ever would.

The rain let up a bit and Shuuichi took that as a sign we should leave. He paid for me despite my protests, and seemed a little annoyed that I tried to pay for myself. Okay then. I frowned, thinking he would know by now how I am about money. But then, I knew how _he_ was with it so I shouldn't have been surprised.

"Yusuke seems pretty nice," I commented during the silent ride. I'd been in his car several times before but it still smelled crisp and new. Like fresh leather and a hint of coffee. Rain hit the windows lightly, drizzling down the window – it was rather pretty to look at, especially with the buildings and lights of the now darkening city being slightly warped by the water path.

"He is, once you get past the brazenness," he had an amused lift to his voice, but he still seemed to be somewhat annoyed. I frowned.

"Have you been friends long?" I asked, knowing I'd probably just bother him more, but I was genuinely curious.

"Yes, since junior high," he glanced at me for a moment before looking back at the road. Traffic, as usual was crawling. It was no secret that Shuuichi Minamino had attended the prestigious Meiou Private Academy, and no offense to his friend but I doubted they knew each other from school. Yusuke didn't seem the type for all that – if he were, why was he pedaling ramen? "He's a very good friend of mine."

"Best friend?" he let out a small chuckle at my question.

"One of them, yes," he seemed to be remembering something, but didn't say anything about it. Still, a small smile played on his lips.

"And the others?" we were getting close to my apartment building now – I could see it in the distance but with this traffic it could still take a while. Someone honked at us, though we had no way to move forward ourselves.

"You've met one of them, I'm sure you recall Hiei," something about that sent that small smile straight off his pretty face until he continued, "and then there is Kuwabara. Perhaps you'll be able to meet him soon. I think he could help you develop your abilities as well."

That was a startling admission. I had thought that Shuuichi didn't want me to have anything to do with my "abilities," especially _developing_ them. I wondered what kind of person this Kuwabara was, if he thought him able to help me. I imagined a wise, old sage – like the ones you see helping the protagonist in action movies. Would he prepare me for some battle amongst a secret world I had no idea existed?

Did I _want_ to develop these powers? I had wanted to stay as normal as possible, to leave Shuuichi in his underground world and stay in happy human-land... but there was a certain provocative edge to diving deep into the dark. Would I be able to get closer to him? _I thought you didn't want to know my secrets,_ he had said, and I hadn't. I didn't want to be devoured by him but slowly and surely it was happening.

God dammit. I didn't want to be a fake girlfriend.

I wanted to love him. Worse, I wanted him to love me.

I realized he had waited for a reaction to that – I had, after all, made it clear that I intended not to fool with psychics like himself (and surely stay away from demons.) There was more honking from behind us and I looked back at the guilty party – the front windshield was deeply tinted and I had no way of seeing the face of whoever was so angry that they had to smash their horn, but they kept doing it. I decided to ignore it. "I think that would be... interesting," I allowed. I wasn't sure how else to put it.

"I think it would be a good thing for you to gain control of your abilities, Ran," he had looked at the car behind us as well through the rearview mirror but didn't seem interested enough to look for more than a fleeting second, "It'd be safer for you if you did. Though I will reiterate that you shouldn't attempt to use them on your own."

I didn't say anything but I did let out a sigh of acceptance. Good bye normality, hello freakland.

We pulled up to the curb of my apartment and I started to open the door – however Shuuichi quickly locked it with the power controls on his door. I was about to ask what the deal was until I noticed the car that had pulled behind us was the same that had caused the racket before. The driver stepped out and right away I could tell he was looking for a nasty argument.

To my surprise Shuuichi opened his door and got out as well. It was still mildly raining, not nearly as hard as before but enough so that when he closed the door I had some trouble seeing through the window. Still there was something too attractive about the way the rain hit his white button-up, how his red hair stuck to his neck as it got wetter. The angry driver stormed up to Shuuichi and started yelling at him – it was easy for me to make out what he was saying, mostly he was screaming about the traffic but that was in no way my boss' fault. Shuuichi remained calm and tried to politely calm the guy down, but it became quickly apparent that wasn't going to happen.

The guy threw a fist at Shuuichi and I gasped – but not at the punch, at the nimble way Shuuichi merely moved his head to the side to avoid a face full. Was he crazy?I knew Shuuichi was psychic, but to put himself in harm's way? He should have just stayed in the car! Shuuichi said something to the guy but I couldn't make it out. It seemed to make the large guy even more angry, and he punched at Shuuichi again. He dodged it again, too easily, and frankly the amused look in his eye kind of scared me. He wasn't _enjoying_ this, was he?

I saw a glint of light as the guy reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife. _Holy crap!_ I slid over to his side and tried to open his door to intervene but Shuuichi sent me a look that paralyzed me on the spot. For a moment I felt the same overbearing presence I had felt with Hiei. The guy rushed Shuuichi with the knife, but Shuuichi smacked the guys wrist and the knife was flung into the car, no doubt denting the side that it hit. The guy was fuming, but if Shuuichi had been sending him the same looks he had sent me there was no doubt he was terrified. He fumbled back into his car, yelling some foul things and promising revenge.

Shuuichi opened his door and I scooted back into my own seat, not waiting before I opened my own to get out before he said anything. Instead a gave him the hardest glare I could (which wasn't as impressive as it sounds) and tried not to sound as appalled as I was when I yelled at him, "_are you freaking nuts?" _Shuuichi gave me a confused look for a moment and seemed like he was about to speak but I didn't let him. "You could have gotten hurt! _Killed!_ Why would you do something so stupid?"

"Ran, I was perfectly safe," his voice was tight, and I could tell I had only managed to make him even more annoyed with me than he had been earlier. The last thing I had wanted only minutes ago was now the thing I couldn't bring myself to give a shit about.

"_SAFE? _He had a _knife,_ are you kidding me, why didn't you stay in the car?" My voice was uncomfortably high as I yelled - this was the first time I had been truly angry about something in a long time. And I understood that it was because he _could have_ gotten killed, right before my eyes. I wouldn't have been able to do anything about it, and that was when I realized the depths of my feelings for Shuuichi. How had it gotten this far? It was like an ocean of only him in my mind, drowning me. But now it made me almost physically sick as I thought about him dying before I could ever tell him how I felt.

His gaze lowered. At first I thought it was regretful, but instead it dawned on me that he was trying to hide his anger. But he couldn't; it emanated from him like a steady heat.

_This can't be just because of me,_ I reasoned. Something must have been on his nerves already, and I only exasperated that. Good going, Ran. Immediately I was filled with regret and worry – not to mention surprise. Was he upset all day? Did he worry about my family issues while he had his own to worry about?

"Shuuichi -" I started but then stopped myself. In a move of extreme guts, I placed my hand on top of his own. It was so hot, and soft, and so incredibly – wow, I was touching him. He offered no resistance when I intertwined my fingers with his. I wonder if the world would end. Hell, I almost wished that it did so nothing past this moment would happen. _I want to get closer to you, _it was a mantra I repeated once again in my head as we sat there and I felt him gradually calm down.

"What's wrong?" I finally asked. The rain had completely stopped, and the sun was now almost completely set. His hair was damp and his clothing was as well – there was a wonderful smell of his body wash, stimulated by the rain, that wafted towards me. I was so lost in my attraction to him that it worried me.

"Nothing, Ran," he finally pulled his hand away from mine and the absence of heat was more than noticable. I realized I had felt his energy through my hands, and confirmed through that what I had denied yet knew in the back of my mind – Shuuichi was a demon. I could feel it. I should be terrified but somehow I just wanted to hold him.

"It's not nothing," I wanted to reach towards his hand again but I knew that could send him away from me again, "you can talk to me. Who am I going to tell, right?"

He sighed, running a hand through his red bangs as I had seen him do numerous times when we were alone. He said nothing for a long while. I wondered if I should just leave.

"Do you want to come inside for awhile?" I asked, hoping that he would say no. Hoping he would say yes. I had no idea what I wanted.

"They're not giving my mother much longer. It seems things were a lot worse than she had let me in on. Perhaps I should have been more proactive in her situation but I would not allow myself to fall behind with my work. I wanted a distraction, and I got it. It lead me to ignoring Mother and avoiding the situation without trying to understand it. They're not giving her past the month. She should be hospitalized. She didn't want to worry me so she refused. I will never understand h-" he took a deep breath as if only realizing he had started speaking. "I keep trying to ignore it. I dealt with the prospect of her death once before but I had a way to fix it _then_, but now it's so final. I cannot comprehend the mortality of this, nor do I understand why it shakes me so."

I had not been expecting such an emotional outburst from him. Even though his voice was quiet and calm I could still feel the pain radiating off of him. I reached my hand towards him again, this time placing it on his thigh. He leaned back in the chair and grabbed my hand with this own. I had not been expecting that, either, and felt disgusting as my mind went from consoling him about Shiori to other lewd things.

I didn't want to believe that Shiori would be gone within the month. She didn't seem so unhealthy to me, but perhaps she was good at hiding things. Not unlike her son. But I couldn't do anything for either of them. I wasn't particularly close to Shiori, and while the rift between Shuuichi and I was much smaller than it had been I still knew almost nothing about him. His grip tightened on my hand but he made no other movements. No change in expression to let me know what was going on in that head of his. He seemed to need this, whatever _this_ was. Comfort? Closeness? Did he need to vent more?

"I should go," he finally sighed. "I apologize for that. I should never have burdened you with my problems."

"I'm your friend," was my reply. "I want to be burdened by you. I told you, use me." I wondered if I sounded hurt, because his eyes became worried as he patted my head. He seemed so worn. I wanted to tell him to get a good nights sleep but I knew that wouldn't happen. I doubted he had slept well in days. I could feel his exhaustion through the energy flowing between our hands. I wondered if he could feel it too. What would he be feeling from me? Worry? I thought about the seemingly vampiric nature of my abilities and figured he probably couldn't feel anything.

There had to be something I could do for him.

I leaned over and kissed his cheek. My face was burning hot with embarrassment, and his hand immediately let mine go. I was a little hurt but not surprised at the look in his eyes – torn between pained and surprised. I would leave it at that, a simple peck. The only thing I could do for him, even if it was more for me and something he didn't really want. How else could I comfort him when I didn't have the words to do so? I opened my door and smiled at him.

"Drive carefully," I said, trying not to look him in the eyes, "If you ever want to talk, just call me, okay?"

He nodded and frowned. I knew there was more he wanted to say – and I knew what that was – but he was in no mood to delve into that and I was in no mood to listen. If I were to be his fake girlfriend then there should be no problem with a fake kiss. I would tell him as much in the morning, but for now I selfishly wanted to ignore that fact.

"I want to be closer to you," I managed to say out loud before I closed the door and headed to the front door of my apartment complex. I didn't look behind me as I unlocked the door or as I heard him start his car and drive away. It wasn't until I was sure he was out of sight that I looked after him, knowing he would remain out of my reach for much longer yet.

A disgusting looking bug landed on my hand. I smacked it away and stepped inside my apartment complex, still feeling Shuuichi's energy pulsing inside me.

A long sigh escaped my chest. Goodbye normal.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:<strong> Oh, sheesh. I never realized how long its been since I've updated and I could never, EVER apologize enough to make up for that. If anyone still reads this, I am beyond sorry that you've had to wait so long for an update. I've been going through a lot of things that I probably shouldn't talk about on here, but my life is finally starting to level out. For the most part. Kinda.

Suffice it to say a lot has changed since March of 2012. A lot has stayed the same, too, like who I am at the core (and that will never change.)

Anyway, this chapter is shorter than I would like a comeback chapter to be, but it was the hardest chapter of all to write so far. It's mostly a necessary filler chapter, with not much happening. A little heavy in OC, I realize, and I apologize for being 50k+ words into a Yu Yu Hakusho fanfiction with limited Yu Yu Hakusho things happening! But within the next two chapters or so the plot should thicken and that should change. I'd like to thank all of you who have put up with my procrastination so far, and I _promise you_ I will see Work For It to the very end. I am not done with Ran. Not for a long shot.

You may remember me saying last chapter that I would not do another Kurama point of view, however I've come to understand that's impossible – there are two sides to this story and his is just as important. So look forward to seeing that dick's inside view once again very soon.

Kurama's outbreak was difficult for me to write. Personally, I don't deal well with writing his kind of detached emotions but I think I did okay. I'm sorry if it's hard to read, feel free to tear me a new one.

You may have also noticed I changed my pen name. Yes. This happened for reasons.

See you guys soon!


	10. The Forlorn Path

I couldn't sleep the previous night, but I wasn't worried too much since it was now the first hours of Sunday. I wouldn't have to work today, so I wouldn't see Shuuichi and to be honest I couldn't decide if I was upset or not about that. I had some things to digest – his outburst, for one, and the revelations it brought along with it.

Shiori was going to die. Soon.

Though I hadn't known her long, I couldn't wish that upon _anyone_ – especially her. She was just _so nice._ The way she looked at Shuuichi with an incredible amount of pride every time, the way she expressed how much her son meant to him... She was truly an ideal mother. I was jealous of that, and I didn't want Shuuichi to lose that. It was something I never got to have.

I liked to think of Shuuichi as a brick wall sometimes. Sturdy, hard to break. I'm pretty sure that's the impression he gave most people but how true was that? Only when it came to Shiori, I realized, he was very breakable. It killed me to think about that. How would Shuuichi be after that? What about his company? Would he be able to focus on that when she was freshly gone?

_Of course not, and no one would expect him to!_ For the most part I could handle things in his office, perhaps not with the diligence or ability he had, but enough so that he could grieve without that on his shoulders. I could do this for him, at least. After everything he's done for me? The crazy, almost silly events that lead me to becoming his assistant?

_'Almost' silly?_ A voice in the back of my head asked. I couldn't resist to smile at the thought. Okay, all of the things that lead me to Shuuichi were _more _than silly. But I wouldn't change them for anything. I hated it, hated that I had let myself feel this way, but I couldn't deny it anymore: I was falling in love with him.

_Don't you care that he's a demon?_ The voice resurfaced, dragging me down to darker thoughts. I could almost feel his energy pulsing through my hand again as I remembered holding it while he vented. The unmistakable rush of demon energy that confirmed it for me. He was a demon. And a part of me knew all along but didn't want to accept it. Since I had learned that I was a psychic, I knew that Shuuichi wasn't like me.

He didn't give off the same foreboding energy that Hiei did, though. So maybe not all demons are like that? ...Did I even want to find out?

I didn't think I had a choice now. I wanted to be a part of Shuuichi's world – that meant being a part of this _other_ world too. I had a feeling there was much, much more that I was missing.

So...did this mean I wanted to pursue him? Romantically? Graduate from fake girlfriend to...

Oh no. I wanted to.

But it probably wouldn't be a good idea. Especially not now, given the circumstances. If – well, _when_ Shiori passed, the last thing I should be doing is rubbing myself all over him.

I turned off the small TV and let out a huff of air. Aside from all this business, Kanae wasn't here when I returned home last night. I didn't doubt she'd show up again soon. I had given her a copy of my keys so she could come and go – though I was sure her staying here was probably against my lease agreement, its not like my landlord paid much attention to this building anyway. I wanted to apologize to her as soon as possible, though. I know she was looking out for me, and I know she was right. It took watching Shuuichi and his mother to understand that I hadn't been treated the way a daughter should. And, it was doubly sad considering Shuuichi was a de-

Holy smokes wait a second. If _Shuuichi_ was a demon, then wouldn't that mean Shori was as well? I hadn't thought of that at all! From what little Shuuichi had told me of these creatures, though, was that most of them could live for _centuries_...How old was Shiori, then? If she had been alive_ centuries_, should I feel so bad for her death? Shuuichi had said she had felt it was time, so...

But that didn't seem right to me. I couldn't feel any demon energy coming from Shiori. In fact, she felt more human than anyone I had dealt with for awhile (I wouldn't think about that right now though.) Okay, perhaps I didn't want to get involved in this after all. I didn't want to think of Shiori as a demon.

I wasn't sure if I should try to sleep or find something to eat. The low rumble coming from my stomach gave its opinion, but I knew that if I wanted to get _anything _done today I would have to at least get a few hours of rest. I shut off the light and took off my clothes, tossing them into my room before I walked in myself. _At least without Kanae I can sleep naked_, I thought, flopping down onto my air mattress. I should probably buy a real one now that I could afford it but since I didn't really mind I couldn't justify spending that much money.

I had thought as soon as I laid down I would have passed out, but instead I started thinking about Shuuichi again. It was almost ridiculous that I couldn't get a moment of peace away from thoughts of him, but the more time I spent with him the more infatuated I had become. I couldn't understand it. I had had crushes before, but for him it was starting to become problematic. I didn't want to spend all my time thinking about him. _I wish I could see him. _I sighed, knowing that when I was around him I never felt this way. Not so strongly at least. Perhaps it was the fact that I was all alone that kept him on my mind.

* * *

><p>When I had awoken it had only been a few hours, but I had gotten enough sleep to function. I did some shopping and restocked my fridge (mostly of orange ramune) and picked up a new coat. The wind was biting and for once it wasn't demons on the air. Autumn was starting to show its face as the leaves turned into colors matching a fire. I loved this time of year, and I had yet to find someone who didn't.<p>

"God I hate this time of year." Well, scratch that.

Natsumi sniffled, trying to rid herself of her runny nose. I found the action a bit rude, but didn't say anything. The short, blonde girl had messaged me earlier and asked if I wanted to hang out. Of course I agreed – Natsumi and I were a lot a like, and though she could be harsh at times I really enjoyed her company. Though I had a feeling this would be a strenuous visit.

You see, I had made a decision. Though I didn't plan to pursue him, I decided that if the situation comes up and things move _that way, _I would be with Shuuichi. You know, as a real girlfriend. Not a fake one.

But that left Natsumi – and Kasumi, though she tries to hide how she feels about him. I couldn't leave her in the dark and still consider myself her friend. She loved Shuuichi, for much longer than I had even known him. And though he's rejected her feelings she hasn't given up. I found it very admirable, and though I had thought differently before I didn't want to step aside for her.

She deserved to know. I hadn't fully explained the fake girlfriend thing, but I think she at least knew about that. Perhaps not fully, and that would be the first step into this conversation.

I think she could sense my unease, since the air between us had gotten heavy. We still both tried our best to lighten the mood, but the lingering confession had my heart beating way too fast to focus on any other conversation.

We found our way into an American fast food chain, eating hamburgers. She was across from me, nervously smiling my way but quickly going back into Quiet Natsumi mode. Her expression was nonchalant and I couldn't stop myself from thinking she looked pretty cool like that.

She was dressed in a white shirt that hung low. It was lacy in the chest area and lacked sleeves. She wore a few necklaces – most interesting being a long one with dark green rocks as beads. Her hair she wore down, but her bangs were clipped back out of her face. She had worn a cute skirt today and adorable sandals – Honestly, she was just super cute. I was a little jealous. Sure, my breasts were bigger and I was quite taller, but she rocked her body. She seemed to know what looked good on her and what didn't – whereas I... typically dress pretty plain, unless I'm going to work.

If it were a competition between looks, she would win Shuuichi almost too easily. I wouldn't say I'm bad at the fashion scene, but I certainly don't know how to do... _that._ If Shuuichi kept rejecting such a pretty girl, well... what did that mean for me?

I couldn't think of how to start this conversation. Did I just come out and say it? Someway segue into the topic, perhaps? But from what? I could start talking about romantic comedies or that cute anime I recently watched.

She sniffled again. She's not dressed for the weather, so no wonder her nose is runny. Though she may be horribly cute, she has the manners of a foreigner. She was the most brazen shy person I had ever met. She let out a long sigh and then looked up at me. "I know about you and Minamino-kaichou."

I had been mid-sip of my soda and almost sucked the straw down my throat. She _what?_ How? It wasn't exactly the best kept secret, but I had at least wanted to tell her on my own terms. "Oh?" was all I manged to choke out after a rather brutal coughing fit.

"I thought you weren't going to go for him," she muttered. I almost couldn't hear her. There was a weakness in her words that made my insides spin with guilt. I told myself I shouldn't feel bad for changing my mind. I wasn't doing anything wrong. But she was looking at me with such a heartbreaking look that I couldn't help but picture her as a child. I felt like a bad friend – a horrible backstabber in the worst of ways. "How long have you two been... since before you came to the company..." She was speaking even quieter but I couldn't make out everything she was saying. She thought he and I were _actually _dating, though? That made me feel worse, because it wasn't true. I opened my mouth to correct her but she caught me off guard with, "Do you make him happy?"

I just stared at her. How could I answer that? _Do I make him happy? _I had to ignore it, "I think you've got the wrong impression. Shuuichi and I aren't really dating, Natsumi."

"I saw you with his mom! You were out eating – Don't lie to me, I'm not a kid, I can handle this," but she was shaking and it was clear that she couldn't. The truth she had assumed was too painful for her. I loved Shuuichi – but it was clear that her devotion was much deeper than that. The clawing at my stomach worsened and it was almost a physical pain now.

"Natsumi." I waited until she looked up from her food and into my eyes before I continued, as clearly and seriously as I could, "We're not _really _dating. What you saw was what you thought it was. We're in a fake relationship for his mother's benefit," I decided not to tell her about Shiori's illness, it wasn't my place, "That's all. There's no romance there."

_So no, _I added in my head, _I don't make him happy._

She searched my eyes intensely and seemed to accept I was telling the truth. She visibly relaxed and let out a shaky sigh. It seemed she could no longer meet my face when she continued, her own face reddening, "I know I must seem pathetic, but I'm really relieved."

I gave her a small smile, but I died on my lips pretty quickly. "But I love him."

"I know," she replied, her small fingers curling around her drink cup. She took a small sip and another deep breath to steady herself. "I can tell. I could always tell. Kasumi loves him, too. So many people want him. I'm so insignificant here."

I wondered if she knew I felt the same. Maybe she didn't know Shuuichi as well as I thought. If she did, she'd know that we were all insignificant to him.

"If things... work out that way I'm not going to stop it," I managed somehow. "If we head down a romantic road I'm going to give it everything I have."

There was a serious aura around both of us then – I could almost feel it, like it was determined energy rising from our bodies. She gave me a sharp nod, "I won't hold back, either."

I swallowed the lump in my throat and gave her a nod. Even though there was still tension in the air it seemed as if it were calmer now. I wondered if our friendship would survive this.

I stood up to toss my trash away, but as I turned I forgot to move my foot away from the bar stool – it twisted and I ended up on the ground, the remnants of my drink on my new coat. I wasn't even surprised.

* * *

><p>"I can't get over how cute your apartment is," Natsumi complimented as I tossed my coat into the washing machine. I let out a skeptical huff of air and sent a look her way. "No, really! It looks pretty homey."<p>

I took a look around. Sure, a little more decorations than it used to have, and it _was_ filling out. But I still felt like my apartment was pretty bare-boned. I had a small fridge that looked so out of place in my kitchen, and only recently did I buy actual dishes. Despite the compliment I was suddenly really embarrassed.

"Oh, you like Romantic Solider too?" She was looking through my box of DVDs, holding an old well worn case that belonged to my favorite anime.

"You're darn right I do! Been my favorite for years," I recalled the first time I watched it – it was a tragic romance between a girl and a boy from another land. Through many battles and hardships they both fight to be with each other – It's cut short by her untimely death. I cried myself to sleep for days after watching it the first time.

"I can't watch it again," she said, tearing up. "It was just too sad. I wanted them to be together so badly."

Both of us had a brief sigh of nostalgia. Truth be told, I watched it again quite recently. It hit me as hard as it had the first time. It's amazing how something you love so much can stand the test of time like that. The story didn't even relate to me personally. Such good writing.

She ended up choosing another movie, one with poor dub-overs of the English version. _Failure to Launch. _It wasn't one of my favorites, and maybe it was just the translation but the protagonist just hit me the wrong way. It seemed like Natsumi didn't like it either. After the film was done she let me choose.

"I've always liked this one," choosing to go for _5 Centimeters Per Second. _I noticed the time, realizing how late it had gotten for the first time.

She saw me looking at the red analog clock, too. "Shoot," she muttered with a frown.

"Do you want to stay over tonight?" I asked, "I have some extra blankets but you'd have to take the couch." I thought then about Kanae, who hadn't yet shown up. I was a little worried about her. Not to mention, I felt guilty as hell for not apologizing to her. If Kanae did show up and Natsumi stayed the night, she wouldn't have a place to sleep.

She thought for a second, "Probably not a good idea, we have work tomorrow and I have no clothes here." She made a good point – Natsumi and Kasumi lived pretty far as it was so it wasn't as if she could just go home and pick something up in the morning.

"You'd have to leave pretty quickly, the trains will stop soon," I frowned, a little disappointed that I was going to be alone again. I was having fun. Which was probably a good sign considering earlier today I didn't think she'd want to stay friends with me.

Perhaps our combined love for Shuuichi actually strengthened our friendship...?

Natsumi let out a cough as she gathered her purse. I shook my head at her, "You need to dress for the weather, you're going to catch a cold," _if you haven't already._

"I'll be fine," she waved off my worry and headed out the door, closing it behind her softly. Man, it had gotten quiet as soon as she had closed it. And lonely.

A stream of coughs came from the other side of the door. _Fine,_ huh? I grabbed one of my spare coats for her and opened the door to toss it at her – I was met with the sight of her leaning against the wall opposite my door staring directly at me.

Her eyes were wide and her small hand covered her mouth tightly. She was shaking.

"Are you alri-" another bout of coughing interrupted my concerned question, and she pushed her hand harder into her face as if she were desperate not to allow herself air. But she couldn't stop the coughing, and her fingers parted for only a few seconds.

That was enough for a black, ink like substance to shoot through the gap, all over me, until the torrent stopped and just began to drizzle out of her mouth. Panicked, I lunged forward and grabbed her as she began to fall, trying to force myself to stop gagging. It wasn't working – I had to swallow bile as I tried to drag her back into the apartment.

_The smell._ It almost smelled like ink, too, but there was a metallic ring to it that disgusted me. What the hell was going on? Why wasn't I freaking out more? I was almost surprised at how calm I was despite the leaking girl passed out in my doorway. Was it shock, or worry about Natsumi that kept me sane?

Oh, never mind.

I had to rush to the bathroom to toss my stomach up, not making it to the toilet and instead blowing chunks into the sink. My hands gripped the sides of the sink but they were shaking too violently to provide adequate support – they slipped on sweat and probably vomit and my head came down with it, knocking myself with the faucet. The smell of bile and the taste of it overcame my senses and I started gagging again.

I pushed myself out of the bathroom, wiping my face quickly on a towel. It was probably going to stained with this black stuff, as were my clothes. Natsumi lay face down, having somehow turned herself over, coughing gurgling coughs into the floor. It'd clean off of wood, right?

In the midst of her struggles I could feel her energy pulsing around me – and I knew unconsciously I had started dragging it out too. The same feeling of absorption I'd had the first time I tried to do it at Shuuichi's command rushed through me. But there was something uncontrollable about it – like my body was panicking and I couldn't stop it. There was the confirmation, too – Natsumi wasn't a psychic like I had originally thought. She was a demon, too.

What was I supposed to do? Call an ambulance? What would happen to Natsumi if I did – would they even know how to help her? Just like with Shuuichi, I knew I should be scared because she wasn't human. Instead, her safety was at the forefront of my mind.

I had to call him. It was the obvious solution.

My fingers trembled as I found his name in my contacts and pressed the call button. I took a deep, shaky breath as it rang. Once. Twice. On the third ring, he picked up.

"Ran," he greeted, "to what do I owe the pleasure?" There was a kind of teasing in his voice that had my heart wanting to beat faster, even though it was impossible.

"Natsumi," I breathed, trying to calm myself down, "S-she fainted and there's – blood – everywhere. I- I didn't think I could call paramedics so I -" I had to take another deep breath to steady my voice, "Help, please."

I could hear movement on the other line, what sounded like the shuffling of papers and clothes. He had been working – somewhere inside I would remember to complain to him about his lack of free time, but this wasn't the appropriate situation. "Are you at your apartment, Ran?"

"Yes."

"And Natsumi?"

"She's here – she's on the ground. She's coughing a lot, and – uh – it's not red. The blood. It's in the hallway, too."

He cursed lightly, "I need to make a phone call. I'll be there soon. Five minutes, I promise." He paused, "Are _you_ okay, Ran?"

"I -" I wasn't sure how to answer the question. I was panicking, yes, I was sure of that. But I was calmer than I thought I would be in this kind of situation. Covered in blood and vomit or not, I was still thinking rather clearly, "I'm okay." I was better knowing he would be here soon.

I tossed the small black cellphone to the side and knelt beside Natsumi. She had started to sob. "I hate this place," she whimpered.

"It's okay, Shuuichi's on his way," I reassured her. I had a feeling she didn't mean my apartment. "Can you sit up?" I was afraid to touch her for more reasons than one.

She coughed again, "I think so," but at the attempt I was forced to help her lean against the wall. My hands were covered in the dark stuff. My stomach turned – I had to look green. I felt bad about it, as Natsumi herself was covered too. I didn't have to make excuses to her though, since she quickly passed out.

I went to the bathroom and washed my mouth out quickly – I couldn't stand the taste anymore. It seemed as though my own body had finally calmed down, no longer trying to absorb anything in fear. That was a good sign – hopefully Shuuichi wouldn't get mad at me for the outburst. He'd probably never know.

I thought about the weirdest stuff then. Was I supposed to be worried about a demon? Aren't demons supposed to be scary, threatening... the enemy? Natsumi didn't seem to want to eat me, neither did Shuuichi. But I didn't know them well in the grand scheme of things. I didn't know _anyone_ well.

There was a knock on the door, and I went to open it. I was so relieved that Shuuichi was here already. I couldn't wait to ask him what the hell was going on.

But it wasn't Shuuichi standing there.

It was my sister, Kanae.

There were no words for about ten seconds – and then there was yelling.

"_What in the absolute hell?!" _Kanae looked from me to the passed out Natsumi leaning against the wall – there was an intense look of confusion on her face and for that I was not surprised. She also looked angry, or at least sounded the part as she kept yelling at me.

"Kanae, it's not what it looks like -" Because it had to look like a murder scene or something. Granted the ink-like blood still kind of oozing from Natsumi's mouth gave the setting a more macabre look than normal blood would.

There was a twist in her face as the smell finally hit her, too. The rancid smell of Natsumi's strange blood had gotten stronger as the room became covered by it. Kanae seemed to gag, but then turned to me with a serious look on the face. "Have you called an ambulance? What happened?"

"No, I haven't, but it's getting taken care of I promise," I could only imagine the look on Shuuichi's face when he sees Kanae here.

"_Taken care of?"_ She grabbed her cell phone out of her coat pocket, "I don't know what the hell is going on here, but she needs _help._ I'm calling paramedics – look at her, she looks like she's ODing on something, Ran!"

I grabbed her arm, struggling to get her phone from her. Kanae had been stronger than me since we were kids, but this time hopefully would be different. I swatted at her hand until she lost her grip and her phone went flying.

She let out a frustrated, angry groan, "What the _hell _is going on?"

"I promise, it's fine," I tried to reassure her though I didn't know if it was _fine_ or not. Natsumi looked bad. Her once white shirt was saturated with jet black – her skin was too. Her blood was strong smelling on top of all of that. She didn't look _fine._

"Ah, you must be Kanae," Shuuichi stood in the wide open doorway – which I was only just realizing Kanae hadn't shut behind her. _Shit, _I thought, _the neighbors probably heard all of that._ "I've heard a lot about you."

Shuuichi shot me a look that I couldn't place but I was sure meant he was disappointed. I had no way of knowing Kanae would decide to show up then, so he had no reason to be. I frowned back at him.

"And who are you?" Kanae demanded, taking a step towards him. _Whoah now. _The last thing I needed was for her to get into it with my boss.

"My name is Shuuichi Mina-" a girl shoved past him, interrupting his words. He gave a frown and then finished lamely, " - mino. And this would be Asagi-san."

"Howdy," the dark haired woman gave a nonchalant wave. Though I had been somewhat irritated that she had pushed Shuuichi to the side, I had to admit her aloofness calmed me down a bit. It seemed to have the same effect on Kanae, who visibly relaxed when the woman offered her hand. "You can just call me Yumi."

The odd kinship between her and Kanae happened almost immediately. Kanae was the type to _know_ when she would get along with someone, so if Kanae liked her then that meant she was probably safe. Whoever she was.

"Yumi," Kanae affirmed, remembering to stay strict, "What in the world is going on here?"

"I will explain everything," Yumi promised, "But first, if you could make us some tea, Ran?"

How she knew me I didn't have a clue, but my response was to stare dumbly at her, "What about Natsumi...?" I trailed off when I realized Shuuichi was already attending to her. He was bent over her small frame, whispering something into her ear. Natsumi's eyes opened and she smiled warmly up at him. The affection in her eyes was too much. I went to make tea to avoid the guilt.

I set out four cups and watched Yumi tell Kanae all about demons and humans – everything. Why would she do that? The last thing I wanted was for my sister to know I'm psychic or whatever. And if _I_ could piece together the presence of demons, surely Kanae could, too.

"Don't worry, Ran," I jumped at Shuuichi's voice. He had sneaked behind me somehow. I shouldn't have been surprised that he had. "Your sister won't remember any of what Asagi-san is saying after tonight. I'll make sure of that."

I recalled his previous offer to erase _my_ memory and my stomach churned. "Will it hurt?" I asked, worried for my sister. Though she was a pain sometimes I still didn't want to cause her harm. I looked up at Shuuichi, startled that I easily met his eyes. There was something there. A thought of the past perhaps. He looked...sad. I hated that look on him.

He patted my shoulder in assurance, "No, it'll be absolutely painless. She'll probably think it was all a dream." He smiled at me and I was ashamed to admit that my worries went away for a second. It wasn't until Natsumi let out a cough that I remembered the state of my apartment – and my clothes.

Oh god I looked like a mess. I quickly turned away from Shuuichi. By his chuckle, I could tell that he knew why. He was way too perceptive. "You should go take a shower. I'll finish with the tea."

I was grateful for the offer and there was no way I was going to turn it down. I flashed him a smile and let him take over, but before I could walk away he cupped my face in his hands. One hand brushed the bangs away and he frowned. "You're bleeding, Ran."

I could feel it now that he had pointed it out. Throbbing pain on my forehead. "I must have cut myself when I fell on the faucet."

"When you... I shouldn't be surprised. You should be more careful." He chuckled and then kissed my forehead lightly.

What.

"We can call that payback for earlier," whatever that meant. I felt disgustingly warm suddenly. And disoriented. And – oh man – what just happened? Shuuichi had kissed me, right.

Me, covered in demon blood and my own vomit. "I'm going to take a shower now."

* * *

><p>When I got out of the shower I felt so much better. Not amazing, but calmer.<p>

And then I remembered that Shuuichi had kissed me and all of that went away. Sure, it was just a kiss on the forehead but what the hell did that mean? _Payback for earlier, _ he had said, and what the hell did _THAT _mean? What happened earlier?

Natsumi was laying on the couch, and my sister and Yumi were chatting over the tea. Shuuichi was sitting at the table with them, but didn't seem to be involved in the conversation. He was wearing jeans – probably the first time I'd ever seen him in them – and a dark blue shirt. Very casual considering his usual attire.

Kanae had a serious look on her face that I didn't like at all. Would she really forget everything tonight? I had to hope so. I had taken awhile in the shower so if they were _still_ talking she probably knew more than I did about all... that stuff. The demon things. Things I didn't even want to know. Or hadn't. Not that my resolution to learn more had been going very well.

"Ah, all done?" Shuuichi asked, dragging me out of my thoughts. "Well, then I think we should probably head out then."

"O-oh?" I wasn't aware we were going anywhere. Didn't we have a mess to clean? "What about Natsumi?"

"Natsumi will be fine – her body just isn't used to the area. I gave her something to help. With some rest she'll be healthy within a week." He seemed to notice my still confused look, "Yumi will need to clean this mess up, it'd be best if we all got out of the way for the night."

For the night? I looked over at Kanae.

"I've called one of my friends to come get me. I'll probably stay with him a few weeks anyway. It'll probably be good for us to get out of each others hair for awhile anyway." She shrugged. I felt guilty – I hadn't apologized to her yet. She didn't need to leave just to make me feel better.

"You don't have to... wait, _him?_" I distracted myself for a second, "You're staying with a guy tonight?"

She laughed at my incredulous stare and then flashed a glance towards Shuuichi, "And you aren't?"

I did a double take between them, face reddening as the memory of his lips touching my forehead resurfaced again. Shuuichi laughed, "Ran will be staying on my fold out couch, you don't need to worry about that Kanae."

I'm going to be staying on his couch?

"I'm sure. From what I've heard it wouldn't be an issue anyway."

Shuuichi raised his eyebrows at me, "Oh? And what have you heard?"

"_Anyway," _I interrupted before the situation turned catastrophic, "What about Natsumi? Is she coming with us?"

"No, Kasumi will be here shortly to pick her up. You should get a change of clothes Ran, so Asagi-san can get started."

Yumi frowned, "Asagi _again? _I told you to just call me Yumi, Kurama. You did earlier."

"A slip of the tongue," he brushed it off. I had a strong sense of deja vu recalling my own response to before I had been able to call him by his first name. Now it was almost normal to me to call him Shuuichi.

Whoever this girl was to him, she used the same nickname Yusuke and Hiei had. What did Kurama even mean? There was a mountain named Kurama not too far from my hometown. In fact, I was pretty sure I could see it from my backyard. But why would that become a person's nickname? From what I could recall it was a holy place – was Shuuichi really so conceited?

"He's right though, I hate to rush you but I have an obscene amount of work to do. Usually I have to just dispose bodies but all this yucky mess..." she popped a hard candy in her mouth, shoving the wrapper in her pocket, "ish jus' troubleshome."

She was very aloof and personally I found it kind of rude given the circumstances. Here Natsumi had almost bled to death (or at least one would think so given how much there _was_) and she wanted to complain about inconvenience_?_

"Don't get the wrong idea, Ran," she looked up at me from her seat then – it was the first time I noticed her eyes. They were a strange dark pink – almost red but not really. Otherworldly. I swallowed as she continued, "I'm doing this as a favor, not as a job." How had she known what I was thinking? In that one sentence she seemed take a one-eighty in atmosphere, but quickly she was cheerful again, "though I'd gladly take some money if Kurama is going to offer it!"

"Perhaps," he allowed with a shrug. He sent another glance my way.

I took the hint and grabbed some clothes from my room, throwing them in an old canvas bag. I walked around the trio in the kitchen to grab myself a bottle of orange Ramune from the mini-fridge. Shuuichi chuckled a bit at this, but by golly I was going to have a delicious orange drink to calm my nerves.

_Payback for earlier, _what the heck did that even mean?

Shuuichi had driven here. I found myself surprised for some reason to see the slick black car, but I shouldn't have been. How _else_ was he supposed to get here?

"Sorry, I should have warmed up the car while you were in the shower," he gave me a weary smile as I buckled my seat belt.

"It's no problem," and it really wasn't. It wasn't so cold yet, in fact it was kind of nice. A shame my new coat was dirty... but then again, maybe a blessing in disguise since it got dirty before the, uh, blood explosion.

"You apartment's looking better," he pulled out of the parking spot with ease – I myself could never get parallel parking down, but that was fine because I didn't drive. "I like what you've done with it."

"Thank you." Was it really that empty before? I hadn't thought so. Maybe I should buy an actual bed to make my apartment feel more complete. So expensive though.

"Your sister seems nice, too. Looks like she herself could already sense some energy as well."

I was caught off guard by that, "What? Kanae's a psychic too?"

He thought for a moment. "It doesn't seem as if she's quite as potent as you, but...yes, to an extent. To be honest I'm almost wondering if I should alter her memory at all. She's taking it quite well." There was a twist in my stomach as I read the sideways glance he shot me: _Better than you did._

_Great, now she ups me in freakishness, too._ Not that it was really a bad thing. Maybe Kanae could deal with the supernatural stuff and I could kick back. _Maybe she could replace me entirely, _I thought sourly, _fake girlfriend and all._

"It seems Asagi-san has also taken a liking to her. The two seem a lot alike." This time he turned his head briefly to look at me after we stopped at a red-light. "What do you think, Ran? She's your sister, it would be unfair for me not to consider your thoughts on the matter."

And there he goes again, making me feel horrible. I don't think he did it on purpose, but it still kind of stung; Here I was imagining him putting Kanae over me, but here _he _was reassuring me that I still had a say. It was these moments of consideration that kept me so infatuated. Maybe because no one seemed to care what I thought before.

"If you think she could handle it..." I murmured, not really sure if I was making the right decision. But no one should have their memory messed with without their approval. The thought made me sick. Shuuichi had asked me before if it were what I had wanted, and it wasn't. He wasn't offering Kanae herself the choice like he had me.

The full moon peeked over from the tops of the buildings, reminding me once again how small I felt here. We passed the Hatanaka building and I lost myself for a second in memories of my time in that building. Everything changed for me the second I stepped in there. From the interview to now, I felt like I had grown as a person. Hopefully Shuuichi thought so, too.

"You don't sound to confident about that answer, Ran," he commented, though absentmindedly. He seemed to have his mind on something else. "Like I said, she is your sister."

"What difference does it really make?" I snapped. Immediately I regretted my tone as he seemed to falter and look over at me. _Can we please just drop it? Can we not talk about my sister? Can _you_ not talk about her?_ Why did it bother me so much?

"It makes a lot of difference Ran. She's no blind fool. She's noticed the demon energy in this city just as you have. Knowledge of such could save her life. As it could yours, as well."

"Then let her keep it."

"She seems to pick up on the danger a lot more quickly than you do," he seemed almost frustrated, "It has a chance of keeping you safe. So I'm going to recommend that she does."

_Why are you acting like you _know _her? You just met her today!_ But that _was_ Shuuichi. He immediately assumed he had everything just figured out.

"...It would be good for you to have someone to talk to about all of this, too." He continued when I didn't reply.

"I have you. And Natsumi."

"Yes, but how well do you know us?" He repeated my thoughts from earlier that day. He was right. I knew Kanae better but that didn't mean I preferred her company. We were sisters – we were close but we also had very different ways of thinking. At least with Shuuichi and Natsumi there was some detachment.

"I know you're both demons."

He seemed caught off guard but not too surprised. Did he think he could really hide it from me, having explained to me himself what I was feeling was demon energy? Loads of things made sense then – the way I felt every time I walked into that building, the glances they all gave each other around me. I bet Kasumi was a demon, too. Just how much did they want to leave me in the dark? Weren't they my friends?

He let out a small laugh, "perhaps I shouldn't worry about your ability to sense demons after all. How long have you known?"

"About Natsumi, just today," I thought back to just yesterday in his car and the feeling of his energy flowing through me. The unmistakeable energy of a demon. The energy that had me struggling to stand when I had met Hiei. What made Shuuichi different? That I loved him? "And I felt your energy for the first time yesterday. Though I had a suspicion for a long time. Spiderman."

"I had almost forgotten about that." What a liar. Shuuichi forgot nothing. He had started frowning and I could tell he was replaying yesterdays events in his head, just like I was.

_Payback for earlier. _It hit me. I had kissed him, too.

It was only on the cheek to try and give him some comfort, but a wave of embarrassment hit me and I had to look out of the window and at the moon to try and stave it off. I could hear a small breath of a laugh from him and figured he knew what was going through my head. I hoped my small gesture had given him comfort like I had wanted... just as his gesture had given me. Was that it, then? Not a romantic cheesy forehead kiss but a reassurance that everything would be okay?

We pulled into his parking garage and he turned off the car. Neither of us made a move to get out. Last time I was in his car he had told me about Shiori. The time before that, we talked about dying alone. It seemed like his car was the go-to place for bonding.

"It's a nice night," he commented, and I found myself laughing.

"Nice? Strange comment, considering."

"No real problems arose, did they? Could have been much worse."

He had a point. "I could go stay somewhere else, you know. I could buy a hotel room..."

I was surprised at his frown, "I think it would be best to keep an eye on you tonight. Which reminds me... I thought I told you not to use your abilities unless I were present?"

I cringed. So he _had_ felt it. I was reluctant to say that it had just happened and that I had no control over it, but if I did say that he'd just worry more. Nothing bad had come out of my abilities being used – certainly didn't get eaten by a demon. However I couldn't escape his disappointed gaze. "It just happened. I panicked and I couldn't turn it off. I didn't even mean to."

"Troubling," he admitted, opening his car door. I did the same and stepped out. The air was a little chillier than it was before, but it was also refreshing. "Perhaps I should introduce you to Kuwabara soon. Hopefully he'd be able to stop such occurrences form happening. I'd do it myself, but..."

He didn't finish his sentence but I took it as he didn't have the time to mes with me. Well, it wasn't an outright shoot down, at least.

"Perhaps I should speak with Kanae about her abilities, though," he added as an after thought.

Okay, so pretty much an outright shoot down. Glad to know I mean so much to you, you infuriatingly attractive demon jerk. "Yeah, maybe you should give _her_ a job too," I muttered sarcastically under my breath, too low for him to hear.

"I doubt she would be as entertaining," he replied. Shit. I forgot about the hearing thing. "And if you're that worried about it, don't be Ran. I'd much rather help you but as I've mentioned before, your abilities aren't the best thing to test around demons."

Oh, so that's what he meant. Well I felt stupid. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It hasn't been the best of nights for you. It's understandable you'd be stressed."

He unlocked his apartment door and turned the lights on. Nothing had changed. Still the dark colored bachelor pad I remembered. It smelled like him, too. I felt oddly uncomfortable at the thought of spending the night here.

"Have you eaten?" He asked, hanging his coat up on the hook by his door. He kept his apartment pretty clean. We kicked our shoes off and I placed mine neatly by the door.

"Kind of," I replied truthfully. I had eaten fast food with Natsumi and snacked a bit while she was at my apartment, but as far as actual meals went all I had today was cereal. "But I'm not too hungry, I'll probably just eat in the morning."

"Fair enough. I'm going to go get ready for bed, it's pretty late. Do you need help unfolding the couch?"

"I think I'm good," I muttered nervously. Oh gosh. I was really going to sleep here, wasn't I? I had to stop myself from thinking lewd thoughts. It wasn't like we were sleeping _together._

"If you need anything just let me know." He smiled and headed down the hallway into the restroom. Seconds later I heard the shower start going. That left me alone in his apartment. Yikes. I unfolded the two seated couch, needlessly nervous for some reason.

I took a look down the hall to make sure Shuuichi was still in the bathroom. I could hear the shower running so I figured he was, but as I stripped off my shirt I figured it wouldn't hurt to be sure. I quickly changed into my own pajamas and stuffed my dirty clothes into the canvas bag. I frowned when I realized I hadn't thought to bring my purse or phone with me. Smart Ran, real smart.

So I was changed and, for the most part ready for bed. What now? There were no blankets on the fold out couch and I sure as heck wasn't about to go look around for some. Should I just lay down anyway and sleep? Or did I want to try to talk to Shuuichi before bed?

I started to look around a bit. I decided to just stick to the living room/kitchen because I'd feel rude to go anywhere else. I took another look at the pictures on display. I retained my feeling that he looked a lot happier when he was younger.

Not much to look at around here other than that, though. He may have thought my apartment was pretty bland, but his was spacier than mine. Though he had more stuff it still looked kind of empty.

I wondered if he was lonely.

Despite my previous decision not to leave the area, I found myself doing just that and heading down the hallway. I didn't go far as the door to his study was wide open. The lamp was still on and shining down at the mass of paperwork on his desk. This guy.

There was a picture of Shiori on his desk, framed next to a family picture. In all of the excitement of the night I had forgotten that she would be dead soon. It seemed unfair that she should have to go through something so terrible – and from what Shuuichi had said, this was the second time she had fallen ill like this. What could have happened to make her relapse?

Shame filled me when I admitted to myself that I was more worried about Shuuichi than Shiori in the long run. It was a horrible thing to think, I knew it, but I couldn't help it. I never wanted to see that sad look on Shuuichi's face again. If only there was a way to heal Shiori so she could stay alive.

The moon was peeking through the very thin curtains. I pulled them back to take a better look. Shuuichi lived on a very high floor. It made for a very spectacular view._ The rent on this apartment cannot be cheap. _A light shone from the corner of my eye and I turned around to investigate. Moonlight reflected off of what seemed to be a shard of a mirror on Shuuichi's desk. Why would he keep a broken mirror, though?

It's frame, or what was left on this shard, was a matte gold with a blue jewel sticking from it. I imagined the mirror must have been quite lovely before it was broken. As it was now the shard barely fit into the palm of my hand. I lifted it up to take a better look and it hit the moonlight directly.

I could feel my energy reacting to it somehow. Pulling from it as if trying to drag something out. Shuuichi was right: I needed to learn how to control it. However there was a strange emission coming form the mirror that piqued my curiosity – until it started to glow.

"Speak to me your greatest desire so that it may be fulfilled," the mirror spoke. It's voice was hushed, like that of a man on his deathbed barely hanging on. Was I dreaming?

_If only there was a way to heal Shiori..._

"I wish for the health of Shiori Minamino," my voice was hushed too, shaking. I felt like I was conspiring with the mirror – as if I were doing something terribly wrong. The shower was still going strong, and even with his insane hearing there was no way Shuuichi could hear us above that. "So that her son may be happy."

"I am too weak now to take your life," the words shook me, "as would be the cost of your desire in normal circumstances. Once I had the power to grant such a wish. Now I can only offer you this choice..." The shower shut off and I knew I didn't have much time, "... your health in replace of the woman's. Her illness will become your illness. Do you accept?"

I didn't have time to think. Soon Shuuichi would come and realize what stupid decision I was making. For him. I knew it was wrong to say yes to this offer but I couldn't turn it down. The part of me that wanted to please Shuuichi was overpowering my rationale. I had told him to use me before. I guess I was using myself _for_ him? "Y-yes," I confirmed reluctantly. There was a surge of energy through me before the mirror began to dim.

"It has been done."

I didn't feel any different, aside from what I would call period cramps."Wait," I said before the mirror could dim completely. I had a feeling once it did it would be gone for good. "You're some kind of – magic – mirror – thing," I struggled grossly with my words, "Please, do you know what it is that caused Shiori's illness?" If I knew, then hopefully I would have a way to cure myself. At least that was the thought.

The mirror was silent and I thought it wouldn't answer until I heard the bathroom door open and it started talking again, "The illness beset upon Shiori Minamino is the curse that comes from a human birthing a demon spirit unknowingly. Likely her insides were poisoned and destroyed by the creature who claimed possession of her budding womb."

I dropped the mirror.

What had I done?

Shiori – that meant – she gave _birth_ to – well obviously she did, she's his mom but... unknowingly. She had no idea _what_ she had given birth to. She had no idea Shuuichi was a demon. And he...

… He did this to her. He caused her illness just by being born. I couldn't imagine he didn't know this – he had to – he had to have done this to her on purpose. All of that sadness, the look in his eyes when she was mentioned, was that all a lie? Or was it some convoluted form of _guilt? _

_I was right to be afraid of demons._ I had started to think Shuuichi was different, but he wasn't. He was on the same level as the demons who wanted to eat humans. He had practically done so to Shiori from the inside out, anyway.

"Ran?" He was at the doorway, a shadow over his face as he stepped forward into the moonlight. "Are you alright? What was it I heard?"

I stepped back from him, wondering if I could escape. To think I was almost looking forward to spending the night in the same apartment as a demon. To think I was in love with the creature in front of me. He killed his own mother.

I had signed my own fate by wanting to help free him from that sadness. But in reality he deserved it. What had I done? I was going to die for him and I couldn't stop it now.

"You're a monster." It was the only words I could form. I was shaking too hard. It felt like I was going to vomit again. Somehow the tears started even though I tried to hold them back. "I can't believe myself. I was such a fool."

"Ran, what are you talking about?" His eyes shot around the room and landed on the mirror. It was still emitting small traces of energy and he had to feel it. I certainly could. "Ran talk to me, please."

He took another step towards me and I couldn't handle that. I was so torn. Why was I still hoping he would embrace me? I was going to die. I was going to die because of him. It was all over for me, and I was too stupid to realize before what a mistake I had made. It hadn't even been three minutes and I was already regretting it.

"Don't come near me." I couldn't speak above a whisper. "Don't touch me. I hate you, I hate you so much."

He didn't say anything. Maybe he knew I was lying. Maybe he knew that I loved him and that I could never hate him, even though every inch of my being was disgusted by him. He was a monster. He was a _demon._ What about the others? Natsumi? Kasumi? That Yumi who had so enjoyed my sister? What if she had eaten Kanae once we left? What if Natsumi had been planning to eat me? Were they monsters like Shuuichi, mother killers like he was?

I was such an idiot.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: <strong>I... Well.

Sorry for the delay in release! Ahaha... Uhm. So. This chapter is. Well. Important, obviously. Surprisingly emotion evoking for me to write the last bit, even though I've known since the beginning it would happen. I'd like to hear your guy's opinion on the matter, of course.

Also I've _somewhat_ updated my profile. If you guys want to add me across the web, PM me so I can add you too! I'm not posting links to social networks on this profile for personal reasons.

I realize I haven't spoken much about my personal life in the author's note for awhile now! If you've been worried I suppose I should let you know that late 2012 I decided to get out of an unhappy situation and move across the country to Ohio with my best friend who I've known online for over ten years. (We actually met through Yu Yu Hakusho fanfiction!)

Things have been going very well for me. I've turned my life around and put myself in a very positive place. I know I never said much of it to you guys, but I was not in a healthy place mentally and I'm so glad I've been able to calm myself and start working towards life goals. I wish you all the best as well with life!

Updates on Work For It will probably be rather slow and I'm dearly sorry for this – I intend to see it out to the bitter end. I love Ran too much to abandon her here. However I'm also working on an original work that I intend to try and get published. IF all goes well there, I'll be running a contest in regards to it...but don't imagine it'll happen soon!

I'll see you all in chapter 11! It'll be in our favorite dick's point of view, and hopefully will shed light on a few things...including what's to come.


	11. Salty Eyes

"Are you freaking nuts?" Ran screamed at me as I opened my car door. I was taken aback by her reaction — in fact, at the time I was mostly appalled at her uproar. I was about to ask her what was wrong until, uncharacteristically, she cut me off. "You could have gotten hurt. _Killed_! Why would you something so _stupid?"_

I cringed at the thought of Ran calling _me_ stupid. I felt like she should have known better by now, known that I could take care of myself just fine without being treated like a child. "Ran, I was perfectly safe," I emphasized the word _safe_ with what must have been too hard of a look because she shrunk back from me momentarily before retorting.

"_SAFE?_," she let out a breath of incredulous air, "He had a _knife, _are you kidding me? Why didn't you stay in the car?" It caught me off guard that she would yell at me, and it only worsened my mood. I did not have time to be lectured by this woman - I struggled to think of her that way, as the way she was acting was barely like a child. I took a breath. I knew she wasn't in the wrong, and I knew I was just projecting my anger on her - anger that came from knowing that for as strong as I am, as many knives as I could dodge, the things I had been through, I couldn't save Shiori. Ran had nothing to do with that. I had to remind myself, otherwise I would snap at her and I couldn't handle the thought of chasing her away.

_I couldn't_? The realization had me by surprise. I hadn't expected it, but throughout the months she had been working for me, Ran had become a companion whose place I couldn't put a finger on. She was a friend, surely. Not the closest of friends due to my own caution, but a friend nonetheless. Yet, emotionally, I had begun to feel attached to her. Be is some kind of paternal mechanism of protection or... something deeper, that I had to remind myself not to explore.

"Shuuichi..." Ran said my name in a soft breath, placing her hand over my own.

Though I knew it was still raining outside, for the brief moments it took for her to join our fingers together I could hear nothing but the catch in her breath and the pounding in my own ears. I surprised myself with the desire to turn the simple gesture into a full blown embrace, but I pushed it back. I couldn't develop feelings for Ran. She was too young, too naive, and too innocent. I was reluctant to have Kuwabara guide her in training her abilities. Not because I was wary of what her capabilities could possibly be, but because I wouldn't be able to forgive myself for dragging her into my dangerous world. _Isn't she already, though?_

"What's wrong?" She asked, her voice pure with worry over me. It was at that moment I had to pull away from her. The guilt was too much. I knew Ran had feelings for me - of course I knew. I had ensured that she would fall for me when I manipulated her feelings with the pollen from the Dream Flower. This care she had for me was artificial - to her, genuine, but to me, a fabrication. Just as I had spent my life as Shuuichi Minamino. One big lie. _What's wrong?_ I asked myself the question. The answer was that I was beginning to care for Ran, and I was forcing her to reciprocate beyond her knowledge. The answer was that Shiori was dying and I had no way to save her. The answer was that the life I had fought so hard to claim for myself was nothing but a tower of cards tottering. It would have to fall.

"Nothing, Ran." I had to keep my gaze away from her as I calmed myself down. Usually, I was quite skilled at doing so, or at least hiding my frustrations. _Everyone has a tipping point_, I told myself, _yours has _always_ been Shiori. And now, Ran._ My selfish manipulation of her would rest on my shoulders until I decided I didn't need her anymore... I had to understand the chance that I would be unable to fix her emotions. If I used the pollen on her too many more times there may not be a memory left _to_ recover.

"It's not nothing," she let out a small, nervous laugh. "You can talk to me. Who am I going to tell, right?" There was a silence as I tried to think of a response. I wanted to be harsh, I wanted to be cruel and send her away from me. I couldn't. The heartless Kurama couldn't surface no matter how hard I tried to bring him up. "Do you want to come inside for awhile?" She asked, a last ditch effort to make me respond.

And I did. It all came out, and I couldn't stop it. I told her about Shiori. I told her that my mother would be dead soon and that I was helpless to stop it. "I keep trying to ignore it," I felt my voice wavering, the frustration at my weakness showing through, "I dealt with the prospect of her death once before but I had a way to fix it _then, _but now it's so final. I cannot comprehend the mortality of this, nor do I understand why it shakes me so."

_Mortality. _The image of Shiori laying lifeless was burned into my brain as I spoke. An image of Ran's limp body joined it. Kuwabara, Keiko, all of the humans I had foolishly attached myself to were going to die eventually. Sooner, rather than later. I felt so foolish now at having allowed myself to care for them as I did.

Ran's hand touched my thigh and my head cleared for the briefest of moments. I rested my head against the back of my seat and grabbed her hand with mine. I could feel her spirit energy wrapping around my fingers, and while I had expected the pain of her sucking the energy from me, instead she was just so warm. So alive. I tightened my grip, frightened of the thoughts coming into my head. I didn't want to let her go. I was such a fool.

"I should go," I broke the silence, the first sane thing I had said this whole time crossing my lips. "I apologize for that. I should never have burdened you with my problems."

"I'm your friend. I want to be burdened by you." There was a small break in her voice, and I turned toward her. There was a pained expression on her face, "I told you. Use me." I patted her head and then grabbed her hand again, resisting the urge to pull her into a hug. I hated that face on her. Shori was my problem and had nothing to do with her, and yet she empathized with my pain. Ran was too good.

A warmth brushed my cheek as she placed a quick kiss on it. Warmer than the energy that coursed between our hands, and then it was all gone - I let go of her hand as soon as she pulled away from me. I stared at her, a flurry of words rising in my throat about how she couldn't just _do _that coming to a stop as she smiled at me and opened her door. The sunset shined over the buildings behind her, illuminating the wet drops from the rain that had stopped while we had been sitting here. The orange glow decorated her like she was a part of the sunset and I couldn't look away, I couldn't protest her actions. She was beautiful, and I was an idiot.

"Drive carefully. If you ever want to talk, just call me, okay?" I could only nod. I tried to force my disapproval out of my mouth but I couldn't. What could she possibly be thinking? I wanted to know.

"I want to be closer to you," she squeaked out, a heavy blush filling her face. Our eyes met and I clenched my fists against my thigh to resist the urge to grab her and pull her back into the car. She closed the car door and hurriedly walked away. I watched her for a few moments, wanting her to look back at me so I could see that look in her eyes again. I cursed myself and started the car and sped off.

She felt out of my reach for the first time.

* * *

><p>I hadn't been able to sleep. I hadn't been able to get my mind off of Shiori - or Ran. I wanted to find a way to distract myself but instead I had spent the night working at my desk and trying to think of some kind of rational solution to my problems.<p>

I couldn't save Shiori. I had thought perhaps I could fix the Forlorn Hope and ask it to take my life instead of hers, but the small shard I was able to sneak out of Spirit World had almost no energy left inside of it. I had it laying on my desk as a reminder of how useless I was in this situation. If only I had known what caused her illness. It had over come her so suddenly both times and no amount of medical texts - from any of the worlds - provided me with a solution. I had to resign myself to the fact that she was really going to die this time. I could only comfort her in whatever ways I could and make her passing as easy as I could for her.

And Ran. How did I solve that problem? She was in love with me. I had forced her to fall in love with me with the pollen, and now... I wasn't sure I could fix it. Using more of the pollen on her would be dangerous, and could break her. I had altered her to the point of no return - just about, at least. There was one more use that I could risk with some measure of safety, but I had wanted to keep that in reserve for emergencies. However, she had seemed to be growing more comfortable with the reality of the world, so perhaps it would be alright to trust her mental stability now. Perhaps it would be okay to make her lose her feelings for me.

Except that I didn't want her to. What a fool. I had forced myself to explore my feelings for her even though I had promised to bury those as deep as possible - apparently that was asking for a miracle because every time I remembered her smile from the night before it all came back to me.

I hadn't really liked her before. Not when I first met her. She was clumsy and foolish and so, _so_ naive. However as I grew to know her more she showed that she was also earnest, and loyal. She was genuine. And I was tainting her with my very existence. What had grown into feeling protective of her erupted into... whatever _this_ was. I didn't want to admit it. I wouldn't. But I just couldn't lose Ran, not now. Not when I needed that smile.

My phone rang - speak of the devil. I couldn't deny my excitement that she was calling me, I felt like a child. "Ran, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Natsumi," the second I heard her tone I stood, preparing to leave my apartment. "S-she fainted, and there's - Blood? Everywhere. I - I didn't think I could call the paramedics so I -" she took a shaky breath and my heart sped as her next words weakly came through the speaker, "help, please."

I stuffed the papers I had been working on into a folder and headed into the living room, grabbing my shoes. "Are you at your apartment, Ran?"

"Yes."

"And Natsumi?"

"She's here - she's on the ground. She's coughing a lot, and - uh," she paused, "It's not red. The blood. It's in the hallway, too."

"Damn," I grabbed my keys from the hook by my door, "I need to make a phone call." I hated that I had to hang up, that I had to leave her alone, "I'll be there soon. Five minutes, I promised," there was a small noise on the other end, "Are _you_ okay, Ran?"

"I-" she cut off, and my worry grew. I could only think of the numerous times I had been forced to wipe her memory, the times I had seen her screaming and scared and alone. I couldn't handle that anymore. "I'm okay," though her voice was small, it was confident. I was in awe of her. I wanted to tell her how proud I was of how far she had come - but then I would have to tell her where she had been before. Hopefully it would never come to that, I don't think she would forgive me if she knew.

* * *

><p>I arrived at Ran's apartment with Yumi - the demon under my service for cleanup. She would be the one to deal with the mess, and God forbid, disposing of Natsumi if it came to that. The first thing I saw was Ran arguing with a tall woman with dark hair. I recognized the similarities between her face and Ran's immediately.<p>

"Ah, you must be Kanae," I could hear the irritation in my voice. I wasn't pleased that she was here, and I'm sure the look I gave Ran showed that. I felt guilty at the look she gave me - I suppose she couldn't of helped it.

"And who are _you?_" Kanae took a step towards me, meeting my eyes with a heavy glare. She was a strong woman, that much was obvious. I remembered her bullying Ran when we were children, and I could see how Ran got her shy and withdrawn demeanor. I didn't like her.

"My name is Shuuichi Minamino -" Yumi shoved past me into the apartment, "and this would be Asagi-san."

"Howdy," she waved, greeting the girls. They seemed to calm down at the gesture. Yumi had a way of doing that with tense situations, I assumed it was because the mass of ink-colored blood that surrounded us was just a normal tuesday night for her.

Kanae and Yumi hit it off, and I watched the dismay on Ran's face as Yumi explained demons to her sister. I would deal with that later, but first I had to tend to Natsumi.

I knelt down next to her, she was covered in her own blood and looked so ill. "Natsumi," I whispered, and her eyes flickered open. A small smile spread on her face and covered my insides with guilt. Another who had feelings for me that I used to get my way. "How are you feeling?"

"Kurama," she replied warmly, reaching towards me. She caught herself and lowered her bloody hand. "I wanted you to see my new outfit. I've ruined it all." She spoke so quietly I almost had problems hearing her. "I think I'm fine. I just caught a cold."

I frowned at her, "You need to be more careful. You know your immune system can't handle human illnesses, take care of yourself. That's an order."

"You almost sound worried," her eyes were practically glowing, "that's so kind of you... Listen, I love you. I'm tired of this." Her words were so slow and I could tell it was taking a huge amount of strength for her to speak. I almost wanted to tell her to save her energy, but she continued with determination. "I'm tired of chasing after you. I always thought... that someday you'd see how much I loved you and you'd fall in love with me... but it was all a pipe dream, wasn't it?"

Tears pooled in her eyes and I glanced towards Ran to make sure she couldn't hear the conversation. She was busy making tea so I didn't think she could. Natsumi scoffed.

"That's exactly it. I've been waiting for you this whole time but you... you've been waiting for her, haven't you?"

"Natsumi..."

"I know you. I know how you look at her... I know you love her. I know. I know." She bit her lip, holding back sobs. "This is such a miserable state for me to be in right now. I'm sorry. I love you but I can't wait for you. Not when I know you could be happy."

"I'm sorry," I said, closing my eyes, "It's been a trying time for me lately. You don't deserve my half-hearted attention. When you're better we can sort this all out, I promise." I summoned some herbs from the demon plane. It's a simple remedy to help in this sort of situation, one that I've had to deal with before. I let her eat them and she became weaker. "You should sleep, we'll take care of all of this."

"Mmkay," she muttered, her eyes drooping. "She really loves you too, Kurama. She told me. I told her I wouldn't hold back but... I love you both, you know..."

I swallowed my words and she closed her eyes. _She may think she loves me, _ I wanted to say, _but she doesn't really. I made her. In any other circumstances she'd hate me, I know it._

I walked over behind Ran and watched her for a few moments. She was looking worse for wear. I could smell her vomit and Natsumi's blood on her, but I still couldn't stop myself from smiling at the sight of her. What was I doing?

"Don't worry Ran," she jumped and let out a gasp. I found the sound too... cute. I chuckled. "Your sister won't remember any of what Asagi-san is saying after tonight. I'll make sure of that."

She swallowed and I could hear her deep intake of breath. A strange expression crossed her face, "Will it hurt?"

Scores of times in which I had erased her memory flashed before me once again. Screaming, tired, broken Ran, rewritten time and time again. I was such a monster. "No, it'll be absolutely painless," I assured her, though I had never been on the receiving end and had no idea if it actually was, "she'll probably think it was all just a dream."

She smiled and then looked away. Ran seemed so worn out, "You should go take a shower. I'll finish the tea." She looked over at me again and smiled. I noticed a cut along her forehead and couldn't stop myself from inspecting it. "You're bleeding, Ran."

She glanced away from me for a moment with a guilty expression, "I must have cut myself when I fell on the faucet."

"When you..." I was astounded, aghast, and amused all at the same time. "I shouldn't be surprised. You should be more careful." And before I could help myself I leaned down and kissed her forehead beside her wound. I scrambled, a thousand words and excuses flowing through my mind in less than two seconds.

I pulled away and looked at her face. She was stunned beyond words, looking much like I had assumed my face did when she had kissed me before. "We can call that payback for earlier," I excused, making it seem like it was all some big silly joke. I couldn't believe myself. I was so ashamed at my lack of control. She walked into the bathroom and I wanted nothing more than to follow her and kiss her again, for real, but I choked those feelings down and reminded myself that I was in an apartment covered in demon blood and I had other things to take care of.

What was Ran doing to me?

* * *

><p>Ran's sister showed to be completely different from Ran. There was no screaming or denying the existence of demons, there was no breakdown... she could handle it. She had questions - loads of them - and both Kanae and I answered them to the best of our abilities. I was surprised at this. Perhaps there was no need to erase her memory at all. It came as a relief. I had no desire to use the pollen ever again if I didn't need to. Just the effect it had on Ran was enough to make me want to pour it all down the drain.<p>

I relayed the thought to Ran as we drove to my apartment. A part of me was nervous at having her spend the night. I wasn't sure if I could control myself right now. However, the safest place for her right now, especially after her outburst of energy later, would be by my side. At least, that's the excuse I gave myself. "What do you think, Ran? She's your sister, it would be unfair for me not to consider your thoughts on the matter."

She sank down into the seat slightly, "If you think she could handle it..." her reaction surprised me. I wasn't expecting her to be grumpy at the idea of her sister keeping her memory.

"You don't sound so confident about that answer, Ran," I tried to think of why, but ended up instead thinking of how it would feel to draw her into my arms and embrace her, to feel her under me, to... "Like I said, she is your sister."

"What difference does it really make?" Her sharp tone snapped me out of my foolish fantasies. I looked over to see her glaring at me. Something about her stare riled me and I couldn't help but take a harsh tone back with her.

"It makes a lot of difference, Ran. She's no blind fool. She's noticed the demon energy in this city just as you have. Knowledge of such could safe her life. I could safe yours, as well."

"Then let her keep it," she let out a huff of air like a petulant child. She could be so frustrating. I wished she would just say what she was thinking - I had no idea what could have caused her to throw such a fit. It was so unlike her.

"She seems to pick up on the danger a lot more quickly than you do. It has a chance of keeping you safe. So I'm going to recommend that she does." At this point there was no desire in me to erase Kanae's memory at all. Not just because it felt useless, but as a protest to Ran's behavior.

She said nothing, and a gripping guilt at my attitude forced me to take a much more gentle tone with her. "...it would be good for you to have someone to talk to about all of this, too."

"I have you. And Natsumi," she mumbled.

"Yes, but how well do you know us?" I mused, a sinking feeling in my gut pulling me down to darker thoughts. I realized then that I had been getting ahead of myself. She really _didn't_ know me.

She didn't even know my name.

"I know you're both demons."

I wasn't expecting to hear that. I had assumed she would figure it out, but not that she would embrace it as a defense towards me. "Perhaps I shouldn't worry about your ability to sense demons after all. How long have you known?"

"About Natsumi, just today." She looked down, her face turning a pleasant pink. "And I felt your energy for the first time yesterday. Though I had a suspicion for a long time. Spiderman."

"I had almost forgotten about that," I trailed off, thinking of the feeling her energy had flowing between our hands. Of course it was a two way street. The peace it had given me at the time though was worth her knowing I was a demon. She wasn't screaming. She wasn't running. This wasn't a bad thing.

"It's a nice night," I found myself thinking out loud. I suppose it was an odd thing to say, as it brought a small laugh from Ran.

"Nice? Strange comment, considering."

"No real problems arose, did they? Could have been much worse."

"I could go stay somewhere else, you know. I could buy a hotel room..."

Somehow that idea upset me. I wasn't ready to be without her just yet. "I think it would be best to keep an eye on you tonight. Which reminds me... I thought I told you not to use your abilities unless I were present?"

She visibly cringed and frowned deeply. I could tell she had been hoping I didn't notice. "It just happened. I panicked and I couldn't turn it off. I didn't even mean to!"

I couldn't be mad at her. "Troubling." We had pulled into my apartment complex and I stepped out of my car. "Perhaps I should introduce you to Kuwabara soon. Hopefully he'd be able to stop such occurrences from happening. I'd do it myself, but...Perhaps I should speak with Kanae bout her abilities though."

Ran stopped walking for a moment and let out a sarcastic retort. "Yeah, maybe you should give _her_ a job too." I had to imagine she didn't think I could hear. To my shock, I was pleased though - this explained her attitude earlier. She was jealous.

I wanted her to be jealous.

I felt so fucked up.

"I doubt she would be so entertaining. And if you're that worried about it, don't be Ran. I'd much rather help you but as I've mentioned before your abilities aren't the best thing to test around demons."

I could almost hear her regret, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be, it hasn't been the best of nights for you. It's understandable that you'd be stressed." And I enjoy it. I want you to be jealous. As messed up as it is, it makes me happy.

We walked into my apartment and the second that we crossed the threshold I was ten times more aware of her. I did my best not to show it. "Have you eaten?" I asked, placing my shoes by the door. She followed suit.

"Kind of, but I'm not too hungry. I'll probably just eat in the morning."

I wanted to argue with her and force her to eat, but I resisted the urge. "Fair enough. I'm going to get ready for bed, it's pretty late. Do you need help unfolding the couch?"

"I think I'm good." It was probably the best answer. I didn't need to be that physically close to her right now.

I practically rushed to the shower to get away from her. The hot water - just a little too hot, honestly - felt so refreshing. I almost wanted it to hurt more. I was a monster, at least I felt like one. But Ran... didn't see me that way. She knew I was a demon, and she didn't hate me.

_She doesn't have a choice._ I did that to her. I took away her choice. I used the pollen to make her feel for me. At the time it seemed so practical, so useful, and she has been. Would I change it, if I could? If I could go back in time and never use the pollen on her, never force her feelings, would I?

I felt so selfish, because I knew the answer. I wouldn't. I didn't want to admit it to myself or to anyone, but somehow I just needed Ran there. I needed her around me. She calmed me down, gave me something to protect and care for and most of all... The way she looked at me. Manufactured or not, I wasn't used to the way someone's eyes looked when they were genuinely in love. It loosened me, the knot that I had kept so tight around my emotions to protect me was coming undone, thanks to her. I didn't want to, didn't think I _could..._

But I loved her.

Sick, twisted, demented Kurama. What have you gotten yourself into? How could I have known this would happen? I couldn't help but feel like I should have seen this coming. What could I do now?

The selfish part of me wanted to go along with it. She loved me. As messed up as it was, to her those feelings were true. If I went in there and embraced her, that would be that and she would never have to know. I would just live with the guilt for as long as she lived. I'd become skilled in doing that.

The honest, human part of me wanted to fix her memories and get her as far away as possible. That would be best for her. Safer for her, too. She could get out of my world, out of the danger that came with being so close to me. I had the willpower to do it. It would be the best choice.

By the time the water ran cold I had come to a decision. I would use the last safe dose of the pollen on her. I would let her regain her true feelings and - possibly - memories. She had become stable enough by now that perhaps she could handle it. She didn't freak out knowing that I am a demon, and that was a good sign.

It would push her away from me. Most likely forever. She would be happier, though, in the long run. She could find someone who she genuinely loved, who would love her back, and they could live their short human lives together and I would just... be here.

I didn't want it. It was what was best for her, though. Selfish Kurama couldn't always win. Sometimes it had to be self-sacrificing Shuuichi that came on top.

Stepping out of the bathroom, my ears tingled at the sound of Ran's whispering voice. I couldn't hear what she was saying, I could only make out her rushed, panicked tone. I was immediately on guard, sensing a small burst of energy that felt familiar but I couldn't place it. Was it just Ran, being unable to control her power again? But then who was she talking to?

She was in my office, looking down at my desk with a wide eyed expression. What in the world? "Ran? Are you alright? What was it I heard?" I asked, stepping into the room. She immediately stepped back and stared up at me. Her eyes didn't seem like they were focusing. Her small, shaking body was in full defense mode.

I took another step and she took another step back. My mind immediately went to the time she had been curled up in her apartment, covered in demon insects, going crazy from the pulsing energy and sheer amount of them. This was it. She was breaking down again. She had been doing so good. Why now?

Why now?

"You're a monster." She shook her head at me, her voice trembling and and her eyes beginning to pour tears. The words stopped me in my tracks. I could feel my heart hammering in my chest and the blood leave my face. "I can't believe myself. I was such a fool."

No. No.

"Ran, what are you talking about?" I looked frantically around, trying to figure out what could have caused this. The energy from before still lingered, but was getting weaker. It wasn't Ran, I was certain of it. But what? My eyes flickered to the half broken mirror that laid on my desk. It couldn't be... But if Ran could draw the energy out of it, perhaps it could reawaken. Not nearly strong enough to grant a wish, but perhaps strong enough to answer a question. In return for what, though?

Did she ask it about me? Did she ask it about my past? I thought of all the people I had killed. The children I had killed. The things, unspeakable horrors, I had once committed. _But that's not me anymore, Ran! _I couldn't say it. I couldn't admit it, not to her. "Ran, talk to me, please." My voice sounded so desprate to myself. Despite telling myself I was going to push her away, I couldn't let it happen like this. I took another step towards her and she faltered, stepping towards me for the smallest of moments before taking another step back.

She was fighting against the effects of the pollen. Whatever had happened, she still loved me. I disgusted myself with how pleased I was that there could still be a chance.

"Don't come near me. Don't touch me. I hate you."

No.

"I hate you so much."

No, _no. _

That couldn't be true. She couldn't. Why? What could I have done? Why now? Why, after I had come to terms with loving her?

"Ran, no," was all I could say. Me, the most verbose person I had ever known reduced to monosyllabic words. "Please. Talk to me. Please Ran."

She shook her head again, collapsing on the ground with sobs. I hated this. I hated myself. I did this to her. I rushed over and knelt before her but I couldn't bring myself to touch her. I could only bring myself to beg her to say something, anything to me.

"You're such a liar," she finally exclaimed through sobs, "You're going to be the de-death of me now a-and there's nothing I can do about it! I'm so stupid."

"Ran, what do you mean?" My eye shot back to the mirror, wondering if she had been able to make a wish after all. That would be impossible. She would already be dead if she had.

She curled in on herself, pulling her knees toward her and retreating. I grabbed her hands before she could wrap them around herself and instead drug her into an embrace. She struggled and sobbed while I wrapped my arms around her. She had to feel my heart, because I certainly did. Her sobs got louder as we sat there until her hands grabbed at the fabric of my shirt and pulled me closer. Her breathing slowed slightly, but she still hiccuped and whimpered. I stroked her hair, muttering to her that everything was alright. That I was here for her. As she calmed down so did the ache in my chest. I kissed her hair, breathing in her still fresh shampoo smell.

"Make me forget," she said finally. "Make me forget that I love you. I can't. I can't love you, knowing what you are."

So there it was. The breaking point. She had acted so calmly about it when I confirmed it, but deep down it was the straw that broke the camel's back. This is what I had decided on anyway. I had wanted to make her forget. I couldn't see her in this kind of pain.

"I can't do it, Ran."

She let out another sob, "Why? Why?"

I squeezed her into me, entwining my fingers in her hair. Holding on as if it were the last time I would ever be able to do so. For all I knew, it could be. "I love you, Ran."

She pushed against me, "You liar! You can't - you can't love anything, I know that! You're a monster! That's all you ever can be! I know what you did - I know what you did."

I was afraid to ask what she meant. There were so many things she could be referring to.

"Please, Shuuichi, please. Please. I can't bear it. It's driving me mad."

She was right. I was a monster.

I had done this to her.

This was the least I could do to repent.

"Alright," I agreed, feeling numb. I could do this. I helped her up and fixed her hair a bit. My gaze lingered on her tear stained face. Her eyes were so red and raw but they still had that look. That damn look that nearly shattered my resolve. "I've been so unfair to you, Ran. I want to tell you everything but I can't now." I sighed. "I'll help you forget. It won't hurt. You'll forget everything."

She nodded and said nothing while we walked into the kitchen. I had been keeping a small stash of the pollen in my kitchen as a precaution. While I made tea (I figured if I made her drink the pollen with it, it may calm her down too) she looked around the room slowly, as if with new eyes. Skeptical. Scared. Broken.

I explained to her the basics. The pollen would put her into a trance like state and I could decide what she forgot, and make new memories for her. I wanted her input. I wanted her to choose what would make her happy.

"I don't want to forget about demons," she said after some musing. I was shocked, considering that was the source of her breakdown. "I don't want to forget that you're a demon. I don't want to risk letting you fool me again."

The words were a slap in the face. I did my best to ignore the the ache and nodded.

"I just want to forget that I love you. Nothing else needs to change."

"Alright, Ran." I agreed as the kettle went off. I poured the tea, dropping the pollen in as she watched nervously. "I'll do as you wish." My voice sounded hollow. I felt hollow.

_This is what you deserve_, the voice in the back of my head said, _for everything you've done. To her, to everyone. You _are_ a monster. There's no going back, even if she forgets. _

I put the tea in front of her. "You're going to want to let that cool down," I muttered, staring at her from the other side of the bar. She stared back, her eyes still rough and her gaze unsteady. "I love you so much, Ran. I want you to know that. No matter what happens tomorrow, I will love you."

She looked down at the mug, watching the liquid move as she blew on it. I wondered if she was blocking me out. I couldn't blame her if she was. I pulled the mug back towards me and forced her to look at my face.

"Ran. I want you to know that."

"I can't cry anymore," she whispered in response. "I'm trying but it won't come out. I feel so dead inside because of you, Shuuichi. I love you so much, too. I want to be with you. But I can't, now that I know. I can't. I'm such an idiot. But I love you. I love you. I've wanted to say it out loud for so long now, and it has to be while saying goodbye."

I moved around the bar and stood beside her, turning her in the bar stool and once again pulling her into my arms. "I'm so sorry that I've done this to you, Ran. It'll be better after this, I promise. You'll be happy. You'll forget." I pulled back a bit, taking her chin in my hand and pulling her face up to meet my eyes. We stared at each other for a few moments and then I did the dumbest thing I could think of.

I kissed her.

I kissed her like I would never see her again, because that's what it felt like. This was goodbye for her, but not for me. I wouldn't forget. I wouldn't be able to. I kissed her like she was my last breath, and she kissed me back. She pulled me down more by my shirt and moaned into my mouth. I could feel the wet from her tears flowing again, and I held back the urge to shed some of my own. I wouldn't cry over her, no matter how much the human pain in my chest had grown. I would remember her taste - the feel of her lips, her tongue, her hands, _her -_ I would etch it into my memory.

We pulled away. We kissed one more time.

She reached for the mug, and I placed my hand on top of hers.

"Before you do, I have one request."

She paused, said no words, and nodded.

"I want you to call me by my real name."

She stared up at me for what felt like minutes, and then brought the mug to her mouth. I had no idea how she could have known it, but the sound of it from her lips felt as if I were hearing her last words.

"Kurama."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: <strong>Okay. So it's been almost a year. I'm really sorry that that's becoming the pattern here, this chapter was really hard for me to write. Emotionally, mentally... though I've been plotting this for the entirety of Work For It, it's so much different to actually be here. Like, wow. We've arrived. The Plot is finally apparent.

This also brings the fic to about 80k words, which is a huge accomplishment for me as it is officially the longest thing I have ever written. Woo.

Things keep changing on my end. Moved, then moved again. Back in Texas, hopefully not for too much longer. Got a job, then got promoted twice. Working full time as an assistant store manager at a gaming store that will remain nameless.

I used to be able to use these AN's as a place to kind of unwind and talk about my life. You may have noticed the last few chapters just didn't have that. Some of you who've been following me for a long time may remember that I was married when I started this fanfiction. My main fear is that he remembers that I was writing this fic and keeps tabs on me through it, which is another reason why I'm slow to update. It's a silly fear, I know, but I wanted to at least level with you guys and let you know why I'm a bit more distant. I do have a tumblr and a skype, and if you want either just PM me.

Other than that... Let me know what you think. We're going down this road together, guys!


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